Ongoing Slayer Wars
by Wyverntooth
Summary: There are dragons in legend, in the world in different ways, and in people. Natsu lost the one thing he held most precious, and now must live in a world where he might atone for his mistakes and those around him. The way he sees the world, the way he sees his allies and enemies have changed. NaLi, eventual crude humor and suggestive themes. (Viewers please be advised) movies, haha!
1. Chapter 1

Y 'all hate me;ladies, gents and other...I just know it! I know I've enough shit to do as is, but I just _needed_ to see this show my way. Quick spoilers: Natsu's gonna be aggressive, and I don't just mean combat either. He's gonna be aggressive socially as well, when the story progresses you'll understand. Also, the Dragon Slayers are gonna be able to speak in dragon roars, hisses, etc. As kids, they're raised by dragons, shouldn't they be able to speak and understand the dragon sounds as a language? Any and all Dragon Slayers are going to have a bit more of a draconic outlook on life and dragon-like qualities to their person, as they're raised by dragons and are going to have picked up on their ways of life as well as traits from their respective foster parent. I'm gonna keep it in english, 'cause Fairy Tail gives off more of a European feeling than anythin' else. I don't want shit 'bout the pairin'! I'm also gonna make the Dra I don't own it, I don't make it, I just write this.

'Paraphrasing or character perception'

"Normal speech"

 _Thoughts and or emphasis_

" **Dragon Slayer draconic voice** "

Techniques

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

"Natsu! We're here, in Hargeon, get up!" On the floor of a train carts laid a pink-haired, slightly tanned, lean and muscular young man with a backpack full of traveling supplies. His entire body was tensed, as if about to throw up or-"Happy, please don't wake me up. Because if you do, I'm going to be shitting bricks..." The young man looked up into the eyes of a small, bipedal, blue cat with a small supply-bag on his back.

"You know what houses do to you, why would you still eat one?!" Happy's words made the pink-haired young man open his eyes with black irises, "They break down my sorrows..." Before Happy could counter Natsu, as that was his name, a train attendant spoke up, "Uh, sir. Are you alright? And if you're going to, please shit your bricks outside."

"I hate trains!" Natsu groaned, "Actually, second thought; I hate public or private transportation altogether!" Happy looked down to his father/brother/best friend sympathetically, "Can you get up? Or are we going to need a dolly...again?" The attendant heard the word 'trolley' instead of 'dolly' as he said, "This is a train!"

Natsu nodded and got up begrudgingly, as if fighting off old age, "C'mon, Happy, let's go. Hopefully we'll find Igneel or...her..." Natsu's steps were less wobbly as he got off the train, walking towards the center of town in hopes of finding the salamander who'd raised him. Happy said a quick, "Aye!", as he jumped onto his companion's shoulder and pointed onward like a captain of a ship.

 **Elsewhere in Hargeon, a magic shop**

"Why the heck's there only one magic shop in town?" Said a young woman with shoulder length blonde hair and a ponytail on the right side of her head. Her clothes consisted of a shirt that was mostly white aside from the blue that covered her buxom chest, her boots crawled up to about knee-height, and a belt that held up a blue skirt. Hooked on her belt was a rolled up whip and a large ring of gold and silver keys with symbols on them. This young lady, went by the name of Lucy Heartfilia.

"I only made this shop for mages who passed by, and most people in town were more concerned about fishing and trade amongst other parts of the world. What may I get you, my dear?" Lucy looked to the man with a somewhat disappointed face, "Do you have any Gate Keys by chance?" The man wearing a stereotypical clown hat had a surprised look on his face as he brought out a small box, "I have this one, but it's not that strong."

"Oh, wow! A little dog, I'll take it. How much?" Her excited expression was killed by the price, "Twenty thousand Jewel." Her face took on a confused and surprised look, "I didn't catch that, what's the price?" "I said twenty thousand Jewel!" Lucy looked to the man blankly, as if trying to determine whether or not this guy was kidding. Realizing he was serious, she got onto the counter and took a seductive pose, "You couldn't lower it, even for little old me?"

Outside the shop, "And he knocks off a thousand Jewel! SO much for feminine wiles. Well, I can't blame him really, there aren't many mages who come out this far from the cities and towns. But still...Huh?" When she looked towards a crowd of people, mostly fangirls, in town square. There was a lot of pining, squeals, and sighing, but the words 'Salamander came to town!' got her into her own fit of fangirlism.

"Salamander?! The mage who uses fire magic you can't buy at stores, that Salamander!? I've got to meet him!" She ran down to the middle of town where the dubbed Salamander was being mobbed, "Now, now! You can all have a chance to talk to me, just one at a time." The man speaking was none other than the man that everyone, who was desperate for a boyfriend and popularity, wanted to talk to. He was relatively tall and he was slim for a man in his early twenties. His hair was a dark blue, slanted forward and over to the left side of his face, over his right eyebrow was a tattoo that looked like a pair of prongs with the handlebars pointing towards his right. The shape of his head was somewhat rectangular with sharp features as well as dark eyes, dark and thin eyebrows. He wore a dark, high-collared cape that reached his knees with a spiked circle design on the back. The clothes under the cape were formal and nondescript.

Lucy made it to the center of the mob and looked at the man with sparkling eyes, a dazed expression on her face, before a pink-haired 'peddler' ran into the mob's center with a blue cat on his shoulder, "...And who the fuck are you?!" Salamander's face took on an expression of extreme shock, "Why, my boy, I'm the amazin-What are you doing?!"

As he began a speech, Natsu got a bit too close as he began to sniff him, "You're not him, you're a waste of space!" Natsu's whispered words made the man's eyes widen as he saw the 'peddler's narrowed, reptilian-slitted eyes and the blue cat's wide and emptily-furious gaze, "...Huh uh huh..." Salamander's breathing became labored with terror, _T-This is the legendary..._ "Salamander!" The elaborately-clothed man quietly piped out, making a maniacal smirk cross Natsu's face.

"You, my foolish _friend_ ," The emphasis on the word was accompanied by a firmly gripping hand on his left shoulder, "are a Pathetically Horrible Arrogant Guy, in other words known as a PHAG!" "NATSU!" Happy's yell was in Natsu's draconically-sensitive ears, causing a ringing to be heard by the pink-haired young man, "It's a fucking acronym, Happy! I'm not pathetic and stupid enough to see homosexuality as wrong, and you damn-well know it. Let's blow this wannabe's crowd, it makes me nauseous!"

Natsu's harsh words broke the spell on the Heartfilia lady, getting her to stare in surprise at the glaring young man in peddler's garb. _Who is this guy? He seems to hate this creep with the charm, but who is he?_ 'Salamander', seeing that if he didn't leave right now he'd be killed, used his favorite getaway spell, "Red Carpet, ah what a joy to be a Fairy Tail Pyro-mage...WHAT THE HELL?!" He saw the real Salamander consuming his flames away from everyone's eyes, as everyone was staring at him instead of the strange pink-haired mage.

"...More like Fairly Fail High-ro mage, Wasted Space! These flames taste terrible, and I'm from FAIRY TAIL YOU DUMBASS!" His consumption of the flames continued as the onlookers heard nothing over the roaring flames, "..." "You'd better run, Wasted Space, or I'm going to burn your ass to the deepest pits of Hell..." Lucy looked to the flames end to see the stranger was glaring up to the floating-on-flames man.

Natsu had stopped eating the flames because of how bad they tasted and because he was full, "Get your ass moving!" Natsu let a deep, draconic growl leave his throat as a threat, "I'M OUT! If any of you fine ladies would like to, you're all incited to my yacht, except for this..." He stared Natsu in the eye, trying to find a word that wouldn't make the famous pyric mage go ballistic, "Fine gentleman! I'll see all of you there!"

 _Someway, somehow...I'm going to destroy him and his yacht!_ Happy saw Natsu's glare was directed towards the distancing form of the impostor, "...Natsu, we have to head back home, this lead was a dead-end. Like all the rest," Happy's eyes began to glisten softly, "and I had such high hopes of seeing..." Natsu leaned his head towards his passenger in a hug-like manner, getting Happy to hug his head with tears leaving his eyes silently, "I miss her, Natsu. I really, really miss her!"

"I do too, Happy, I do too..." Natsu began to walk away from the starry-eyed crowd, when the voice of a blonde girl stopped him in his tracks, "Wait! Who are you, and what did you do?!" Happy wiped away his tears as Natsu turned and glared lightly at the stranger, "I'm Natsu Dragneel, the blue cat on my shoulder is Happy, who are you?" The untrusting demeanor Natsu gave off made Lucy a little hesitant, "I...I'm Lucy Heartfilia, nice to meet you two. What are you doing here, in this dead-end town?"

Happy looked to the ground sadly, "It's a dead-end town in more ways than one, Miss Lucy, more ways than one..." The solemnity was shared by Natsu, although he still kept his glare on Lucy, "We're here to find a salamander, but all we got was that wannabe Fairy Tail mage!" A deep, but soft-sounded dragon's growl left Natsu's gritted teeth, getting Lucy to clear her ears in a manner indicating she thought she was hearing things.

"In thanks for freeing me from that creep and his charm spell, I'm going to buy you two lunch!" Natsu's face portrayed his surprise at her proclamation, while he looked to Happy who's face and stomach told him all too well how hungry the Exceed was. With a sigh of resignation he said, "...I guess we could take a couple minutes to eat..." Happy jumped for joy on Natsu's shoulder, making his father/brother/best friend chuckle with a very soft smile on his face.

Lucy pumped her fist with a feeling of accomplishment, _Now I'm going to get some answers!_ "YES!" Her outburst made Happy and Natsu stare at her oddly...Well, Happy stared and Natsu glared suspiciously, "What are you so chipper about, Miss Lucy?" And that got her attention, "DON'T CALL ME MISS LUCY, IT MAKES ME SOUND OLD!" The shout made Natsu take a martial art's stance out of reflex, perceiving the blonde as a threat.

"Just Lucy is fine." Natsu, still suspicious and cautious, slowly relaxed until he was sure this stranger meant his son/brother/best friend and himself no harm.

 **At a random restaurant Lucy chose**

Lucy watched as Happy ate fish after fish after fish with gusto to feed a family of three, eyes wide as she feared for the little guy's health. (Hey, he's a cat, and cat's have stomachs not much larger than their paws so cut 'im some slack) Natsu was eating as well, he'd eaten enough to cover most of the table, "Why are you so interested in us?"

Natsu's untrusting behavior was really starting to make Lucy nervous around him as well as concerned for him, "So, Natsu, why is it that you're acting so untrusting of me?" Said mage, even though Lucy didn't know it, placed his plate down on the table softly with a contented sigh, "I don't know you...and I don't want to!" He got up and left, Happy jumping onto his shoulder with the fish either in the sack on his back or in his mouth. Lucy was, in two words, beyond stunned. A pink-haired guy with trust issues and a bipedal, blue furred, talking cat had just up and left her without another word or a wayward glance.

 _What the heck?! What's his deal?!_ Lucy's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the waitress waiting for her to take the bill, which made Lucy's jaw drop, "Ah...ahck, TWENTY THOUSAND JEWEL?! OH MY GOD, THOSE TWO ARE GOING TO EAT ANYBODY OUT OF HOUSE AND HOME!" After her little spasm of surprise, she payed the bill with anime tears in her eyes and a sorry look to her wallet, _Forgive me..._

 **Natsu and Happy, overlooking the sea, dusk**

"You didn't have to be that harsh to Miss Lucy, Natsu. She only wanted to thank us for helping her out of that creepy guy-who-stole-your-title's charm spell. You should apologize!" Natsu looked to his travelling companion with worn out eyes, "I don't want to get another female close to me and we can't get distracted from finding her..." Natsu's words made Happy turn to him with sad eyes, "Why did she have to disappear on us...we all miss her!"

Natsu looked to the small feline with tired eyes as Happy's ears folded back in sorrow, "I bet she's looking for us as much as we're looking for her. We just have to keep looking for wherever she's ended up! I still don't get why that kid was so interested in us..." Happy smiled mischievously, "She liiiikes you!" Those words made Natsu land on the ground facefirst and groan out painfully, "You really think I'd betray the trust of my mate whilst she's away?! That's sick, Happy, even for my demented soul. Why are you looking at me that way?"

Happy's face portrayed his hoping, "Can you sing that song she used to sing for me, please?!" Natsu looked to his son/best friend/brother in surprise, "Really, you want me to sing? You of all people know I'm not a singer." Happy stood up on the railing of the cliff they were on with an excited look in his eyes, "Please?!"

Sighing in mock-exasperated resignation, he conceded, "Any requests?" Happy jumped onto Natsu's shoulder, "I Am Stronger, she used to sing it whenever you and or I were down." Natsu nodded with a soft smile, "Okay then..." As soon as he said that, he began to sing a song that made Happy nod his head to the tune. It sounded like it needed to be fast-paced, but the slow-pace Natsu set up made it seem great for those with sleeping problems.

The singing was interrupted by the yacht that the impostor mentioned had a flare light the sky above it, "DAMN IT!" "HAPPY! What have you been told about swearing, you're still too young for that!" Happy's ears bent back in frustration, "But that flare is means S.O.S! We've got to find out why! Maybe it's her..."

That made Natsu grab Happy and throw him in the air, Natsu jumped off the cliff to be caught by a now winged Happy, "GET THOSE WINGS WORKING!" "AYE!" They'd no idea they would find a soon-to-be friend in peril, and that their hopes would be destroyed.

 **The yacht**

Lucy held the flare gun in her hands with a glare directed to the now revealed Bora of Prominence, "Now, you'll get it. That flare'll get someone coming to my aid!" Bora and his men began to laugh cruelly, "You really think I didn't have a plan in place in case of something like this? I told the authorities that we might be having fireworks set off, so they're under the impression that we're setting fireworks off. You and the rest of these fine women are going to be sold as slaves to the highest bidder, making me and my men the filthiest richmen in all of Fiore! Hahahahaha-HAHAHAHAHA!"

His evil laughter was cut short as Lucy reached for her keys before they were taken away from her and held just out of reach as she was restrained, "Celestial Spirit Mage, hmm? More like: Human Locksmith!" The sounds of coughing were heard in the background, "Oh, come on, not even a pity laugh?!"

"FUCK YOU HAPPY!" Natsu fell through the roof, "I SAID DROP ME ONTO THE YACHT SO I COULD MAKE A DRAMATIC ENTRANCE! YOU WEREN'T HIGH ENOUGH!" Happy hovered over the hole in the roof, "C'mon, Natsu! You've gotta admit it was kinda funny." Natsu sent a glare with no heat behind it at the flying feline before he turned to the crew and terrified Bora.

"What did I say..." Natsu looked Bora in the eye, his draconically slitted eyes sent a wave of terror through the man, "I said, you'd better run or I'd burn your ass to the deepest pits of Hell...WHAT AREN'T YOU DOING?!" Bora and his men suddenly froze up in terror, as they saw the pink-haired young man puffed up his chest before lunging his torso and head towards them with a gaping mouth. Happy, right when Natsu was inhaling, flew down and grabbed Lucy and her Gate Keys, right before the boat was set aflame.

"...W-Wha-WHAT ABOUT NATSU?!" Happy, being raised by Natsu, did the dick move, "EXTREME!" He dematerialized his wings and unwrapped his tail from Lucy's waist, dropping them into the water. Lucy dropped her keys, getting her to swim to them and call out, "Open! Gate of the Water Bearer, Aquarius!"

Out of the water appeared a woman with a fish-like tail, wearing only a swimsuit top and an assortment of jewelry. In her pale-skinned hands was a jug of water, completing her namesake as the Water Bearer. Lucy's voice broke her calm demeanor, "Aquarius! Wash that yacht to shore!"

"GO FUCK YOURSELF, BITCH!" (We all know Aquarius woulda said it, if Fairy Tail wasn't supposed to be child friendly) Aquarius's anger was reciprocated by the Heartfilia lady in the water, "PLEASE! FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS FREAKING HOLY! THERE'S A YOUNG MAN ON THAT YACHT WHO'S GOING TO DIE IN THE FLAMES!" Aquarius seemed mildly intrigued, "Who is it?"

Happy spoke up, "THE SON OF IGNEEL! HE'S SALAMANDER! HE NEEDS TO REACH LAND, HE'LL COOL OFF TOO FAST AND DIE! PLEASE, MISS FISH-LADY!" Happy's words made Aquarius's eyes widen as she sent a tidal wave to get the yacht to the shore. Lucy didn't catch the part about Salamander as her head went underneath the water, "What do you mean he'll cool off too quickly?!"

"HE'S SALAMANDER! HIS INTERNAL BODY TEMPERATURE REACHES LEVELS BEYOND THE AVERAGE HUMAN BEING, BUT THE YACHT WILL SINK BEFORE HE CAN FLY TO SHORE AND HIS INTERNAL BODY TEMPERATURE WILL PLUMMET TOO FAST! HE'LL DIE!" (I know that it seems a little stupid a reason to reach the shore, but he's warmin' up fast and the yacht's sinkin' faster. If a super-heated object, Natsu in this case, touches cold water it'll cool off rapidly to the point of room temperature. That'd kill Natsu)

"Miss Fish-Lady, can you please get us to shore as well?!" His tears and polite attitude moved Aquarius's normally cold heart, as she nodded and said, "Huuuhhh, just this once, Little One. I owe Igneel for saving my last summoner, Layla." Lucy's eyes widened at the name, but before she could ask for further detail, Aquarius sent them to shore on a large wave.

"...Good luck, son of Igneel, you're going to need it to survive Layla's daughter!" With that, she returned to the Celestial Realm, a faint smile playing on her lips. Lucy and Happy were on the shore now, as Natsu consumed Bora's flames(-of Youth! *shudders*) and called out, "Fire Dragon... **ROOOOAAAARRRRR!** "

The force of the roar sent Lucy stumbling back and made Happy dig his claws into the ground to stay in place. Natsu's eyes began to glow red, his skin began to become scaly in places and a dragon of fire outlined him. Happy saw Natsu's eyes and thought, _I can't let him become that again! Not Again! NEVER, NOT EVER AGAIN!_ Happy created a glowing circle appear over his back and his wings sprouted, letting him fly onto Natsu's shoulder to act as an emotional medium.

Happy was engulfed by rage, almost uncontrollable rage and sorrow, as he added his magical power into the attacks Natsu landed. In that moment, Natsu's body fell to the ground, lifeless, with Happy holding onto his shoulder when the dragon of fire that outlined the pink-headed mage flew at Bora. The impostor screamed, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU!?" He was then engulfed by Natsu's soul, the dragon that outlined him had been his soul taking a familiar form.

The dragon entered the impostor's body, taking over his mind and body, letting Natsu control him. Natsu's unconscious body stirred and roared, this roar wasn't an attack but a call of immense sadness that knew no name as he said, " **HE DOESN'T KNOW WHO SHE IS! HE NEVER MET HER! rrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHH!** " Natsu's body was still unconscious, but it moved towards the possessed man, placed its hand on Bora's chest, and was then alive once more.

"GOD DAMNIT! WE WERE SO CLOSE! WE HAD HER WITHIN OUR GRASP: The lead, the want, the determination, the resources...BUT WE LOST HER AGAIN!" Natsu's eyes were no longer glowing, as he shed pained tears that Happy also shed. Their tears were heard by all nearby, everyone in town had heard them and their plight, and they felt pity.

The once unconscious ladies that Bora's men had taken hostage to be sold as slaves exited the yacht, confusion in their eyes when they saw the crying cat and pink-haired young man from the earlier afternoon. When they saw them, they all slowly walked to him and began to thank him as his tears ended slowly, "We are forever in your debt, sir. If you ever need anything that we are capable of providing, you have our help in whatever way we can provide!"

Natsu looked to the women and thought he saw-"Have any of you ladies seen a young lady around?! She has sparkling, sapphire eyes and short, quicksilver-white hair! Please, tell me you've seen her?!" Natsu looked to all of them, seeing that they'd no clue who he was talking about, and his tears resumed as he punched the ground with scaled fists, "WE WERE SO CLOSE! **rrrrRRRAAAWWWHH!** "

His roar made the women back up in fear before they felt the pain in his fire-spewing voice. Lucy walked forward, still shaken from seeing Natsu's furious martial arts-style fighting and magic, before she knelt down and waited for him to be done. When he relaxed enough to be spoken too, she asked, "Who are you...Nastu Dragneel?" He didn't look up from the ground, his hair overshadowing his face, "A Dragon Slayer...Son of Igneel, but you'd know me by my title!"

Natsu removed his jacket, revealing a red guildmark just below his shoulder. This guildmark, belonged to the strongest guild known in Fiore, it's name was spoken amongst the people nearby, "FAIRY TAIL! YOU'RE SALAMANDER?!" Natsu turned to the man who shouted, seeing the mayor, "Yes. Sorry for destroying things. This Wasted Space," He kicked Bora's unconscious body into a building, getting a grunt of pain from the downed and once possessed mage, "was selling these young women as slaves around the Fiore apparently and was using illegal magic to make sure the didn't run away! I'll help repair the damage done, and then I'll take him with me for judgement to be passed upon him..."

His scaly scarf blew in the wind, giving him a heroic aura that made several girls sigh or have nosebleeds at several perverted scenarios they imagined. The mayor looked astounded, he'd heard that Fairy Tail mages were destructive and didn't take responsibility for their mistakes, "...Thank you, Mister Salamander! How can we ever repay you?!"

Natsu looked the man dead in the eye, "All I ask is that you keep an eye out for any dragons, there aren't many left so I'll come running. I'll keep searching for my other quarry by myself and Happy, that's all you need to do." Natsu began to pick up broken pieces of buildings and other debris around the crashed yacht, all the way into the morning he helped repair the damage he'd done. Lucy and Happy watched, "Why is he so aggressive? And who's this Igneel? That doesn't sound like a ladies name." Happy's right ear twitched in irritation at forgetting she was there, "Igneel's the fire dragon who raised Natsu. Right now, we're looking for his mate. She helped Natsu raise me from the day I hatched, in a sense, she's my mother while Natsu's my father. They're both parents, siblings, and best friends for me and I miss her so much...He misses her more than anything in the world, he'd trade all of the tomorrows he has for one yesterday with her!"

Lucy nodded in understanding as it all processed when she realized something, "You used the chorus of a song's lyrics!" "Aye!" She looked at him with a light glare as she asked, "Who's his girlfriend and your mother-sister-other best friend?" Happy looked at her for a few seconds with empty eyes that sent chills running through every fiber of her being, "That's something you have to earn to know!" Lucy sighed disappointedly, "Alright. Is it alright if I join your guild, then?"

Happy stopped using the scary eyes, making Lucy sigh in relief, "That's up to Master Makarov, Fairy Tail's Third Master. But I think it's alright if you come with us to Fairy Tail, I've no power over you so you'll probably follow no matter what I say." Lucy did a little dance when Natsu appeared right behind her and said, "Alright, Happy, let's go back home so I can beat whoever gave us this lead into a coma!" Lucy yelped at the sudden appearance and smiled nicely at him, making Natsu glare at her like she was an enemy.

Natsu got his shirt back on from the bench he'd thrown it onto, "I hate to-strike that-I love to crush hopeless dreams, I'm bringing Bora with us! He's got potential, and I can't let potential go unnoticed, so he's going to repent his sins by working for Fairy Tail!" Lucy had narrowed eyes at this point, "Why would you let that scum work for your guild?! He was going to brand those women and myself like cattle, with a hot piece of metal. And I've read Sorcerer Magazine, there are a lot of attractive women in Fairy Tail!"

Natsu picked up a bound and gagged Bora over his shoulder, "I wasn't given another chance on several occasions, so I'm going to try and give everyone a second chance, even if I **can never forgive them for their crimes!** But if I let someone waste their potential and lose any chances to redeem themselves, I'd never be able to live with myself, so I'm giving him another chance. **Don't take this for grant, Bora! Or I won't hesitate to kill you...** " The bound and gagged man over Natsu's shoulder had wide eyes, and he nodded his head with honesty in his eyes for once in his life as a mage.

Natsu looked back to his travelling companions with tired eyes, "Let's go, we've got a long track ahead of us..."

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

That's a wrap ladies, gents and other! I know y'all are probably pissed with me, but I had this comin' up in my ideas and decided "FUCK IT!" so I'm gonna write a Fairy Tail series. As always:R&R, no flamin' my ass, constructive criticism, SEE YA-GOOD NIGHT!


	2. Winter's wonders

Whaz up ladies, gents and other! I know: I'm a bad writer, I suck, and I'm a dick. I'm gonna be writin' this story more often than not 'cause I can't find inspiration for my other stories, and I'm tryin' to make this a good story to read. Sorry 'bout the previous chapter's shortness, I didn't have much planned for it. Fairy Tail is Hiro Mashima's, lucky!

 _Thoughts or emphasis_

'Paraphrasing'

"Normal speech"

" **Draconic voice** "

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Natsu kicked down the door of Fairy Tail, hitting some innocent mage in the nose, with Bora bound and gagged over his shoulder. His face portrayed his displeasure, "WE'VE A CODE PINK PEOPLE! NOT A DRILL, NOT A DRILL!" The mage who shouted was then running around after Natsu had kicked him with his foot on fire, "YOUR LEAD WAS A LOAD FULL OF SHIT! HAPPY CRIED THE ENTIRE WAY HERE IN DISAPPOINTMENT AND I GOT STUCK WITH AN ANNOYING CHICK WHO SEEMS TO WANT TO GET UP IN SOMEBODY'S GUTS!" Crickets could be heard.

Natsu's shout made Lucy start smacking him back and forth, getting a few gasps that she wasn't a smoldering pile of ashes at the moment, "Don't tell everyone that!" Natsu caught Lucy's flying hand and growled loudly, "I'm going to commit mass murder, which _motherfucker_ wants to dies first?!" Before the out-for-blood Dragon Slayer could go rampaging, he was hit in the head with a frying pan, ultimately knocking him out and creating a large dent in his skull. (Ye-hehe-ah, he's dead! His skull's now fractured) What appeared to be his soul, left his mouth and started floating around like smoke when the woman with long, silver locks grabbed it and returned it to his body.

"Mirajane!" The buxom young woman looked to Lucy with a soft smile, "Yes, but Natsu still refers to me as the Fairy Tail Demon..." Proving her point, the unconscious pink-headed young man mumbled something about 'demons never let him get a fire in his belly'. Mirajane nodded towards Natsu with a 'told you so' look on her face. Mirajane was wearing a simple, yet elegant, red dress. Her hair was as wavy as ever, and her bangs were held up in a ponytail in front of her face. The guild mark on Mirajane's left thigh wasn't visible, but it was there. The ponytail-over-her-brow was soon after being seen, batted around by a playful-looking Happy. Happy's eyes were red and a little puffy from all the tears he'd shed on the train while Natsu tried to calm him down and the churning stomach he had.

Lucy looked to the downed Natsu exasperatedly, "Wake up! You need to drop off your cargo, or we'll never get anything done!" Happy piped a quick, "Aye!", and returned to distracting Mirajane's vision by playing with her forwards- _facing_ -ponytail (bad pun). Lucy had hearts in her eyes, "I've seen you in Sorcerer Magazine!" Mirajan's smile seemed angelic, before she took on a look of horror and looked down to her heeled feet to see..."NATSU! STOP TRYING TO AT MY FOOT!" She lightly kicked him in the head, waking him up as he looked back and forth for his assailant. "Natsu, I'm right here. Look up, boy, up."

"Oh great, just my luck. I tried to eat the Demon's foot again...please don't kill me..." Natsu wouldn't look up still, seemingly out of fear or rudeness in Lucy's opinion. She voiced this clearly, "Why would you call Mirajane 'The Demon of Fairy Tail'? I've heard only sweet things about her, like how she wouldn't hurt a fly." Natsu began chuckling nervously as Mirajan's smile seemed a lot more honest and sweet, not sickly sweet, but Natsu knew the old her. "Why, thank you! I don't get that much around here from everybody, except for my brother." A tall man with with tanned skin walked over at the last comment.

His hair was white as the hottest of flames, it was wavily-spiked slightly upwards and gave him a very intimidating appearance with his scowl. His face was rectangular-ish, but there was a stitched scar crossing over his right eye without damaging it. No eyebrows adorned his dark eyes. He was muscular under his casual clothing. His height was added to by the geta he wore on his feet. And on the left side of his neck was a black Fairy Tail mark.

"When will he ever leave the past in the past, like a real man?" His choice of words made Lucy sweat in embarrassment for him, when Natsu rose his voice in his own defense, "I like remembering everything that's happened to me! IF I DON'T, THEN WHO THE FUCK WILL?! A real man should remember what's happened to him, or **what he's done...** " Natsu's draconic growl was heard by the still bound and gagged Bora, drawing attention to him as he struggled to escape Natsu's Hellish gaze.

A man at about the age of thirty-six walked over and crouched next to the tied-up man, "And what do we have here..." His hair was blue, slicked back and short. His lower face was adorned with a great deal of stubble and a thin mustache, giving him a bit of an elderly look in some aspects,, but altogether looked rather young with his mildly muscular build and slim physique. Linear eyebrows were over his dark eyes, and his nose was prominent with a flat, rectangular ridge. This man's attire was street-oriented in appearance as a chain held a large 'S' around his neck, but that was where the comparison ended. A knee-length, white jacket that was open more often than not and had a dark purple underside and high collar, with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows. He wore a dark blue shirt and a pair of brown jeans. His name was Macao Conbolt.

"The dead-end lead led us to this Wasted Space, as I've come to call him, trying to ship women off around Fiore as slaves in Hargeon. When we saw Lugi's flare break the peaceful heavens, we thought that... _she_ was there in trouble. Instead we got Lugi Heargicia, here." Lucy, having heard Natsu mispronounce her name, took matters into her own hands again, "MY NAME IS _LUCY HEARTFILIA_ , FOR YOUR INFORMATION!"

"I don't really care. Anyway, I decided against killing him and chose to instead give him another chance here..." Macao smiled kindly at Natsu as he patted him on the back, "Well at least you didn't kill him-" "So he can act as our slave! It's poetic justice really: he's sold who-knows-how-many women as slaves around Fiore and now he's our slave, I think I made the right decision." The sounds of faces hitting palms was heard around the guild at once, "Natsu...why is it that you always have to destroy what we're about to say if it's good about you?"

Mirajane's question made Natsu smile cheekily, "Because it's fun! Bored now, going to take a mission." He got off the wooden floor with the sounds of bones cracking and popping into place as he neared a board covered in papers with rewards and missions on them. Macao looked to Natsu in mock-exasperation, "I'm heading out on a mission right now, you can join if you want?" Natsu's ear twitched making the woman drinking from a beer keg chuckle at how funny it looked.

"I can never get over how funny you look Natsu, especially when you twitch, hehehe!" This young woman was tall, slim, had an ample bust, and had tanned skin. Her hair was mid-back length a purplish-brown, with two shoulder-length strands framing her face and wavy. Her black Fairy Tail stamp was on the left side of her lower abdomen, just above her shapely hips. She wore a pair of capri pants, with two bands hanging from each leg, held up by a pink belt. Her torso was scantily covered by the light blue bikini top, while her arms had bracelets on her biceps with 'A' inscribed on them with her wrists occupied by three bracelets per wrist. Her feet were supported by high-heeled sandals. Her name was Cana Alberone and her father was, but no one knew it, the unsuspecting Gildarts Clive.

Natsu lightly glared at the extremely high alcohol tolerant woman as he said, "And how, might I ask, is twitching funny when it's a caused by a stimulismus that intrigues the target?!" Cana began laughing harder, almost falling off her seat, "'Stimulismus'? Hahahaha, Natsu that's not even a word. Nice try though, buddy." Natsu glared at her again, his slitted eyes narrowed as he readied himself to lunge at her, while she pulled three cards out of her blue feathered purse.

"Just try it, kid!" His choice of words made Cana throw a card at his face, getting him right on the cheek and drawing blood as Natsu called out, "FIRE DRAGON... **ROAR!** " (Cue: Simple Plan- Last One Standing) A stream of bright flames left Natsu's gaping maw, getting the still-sober heavy drinker to duck under the stream of flames, "You'll have to do better than that, Natsu! You may be only a few months younger than me, but I'm years ahead of you in skill..." She kept throwing cards, choosing to avoid using any magic to deter him, but that seemed to make him only more aggressive, " **Go fuck yourself! I've more power than you've got in your years of training! FIRE DRAGON'S...** "

Natsu charged at Cana now with his fiery, draconic aura visible. The aura's horns were ready to impale a certain purple-brunette, as his entire body was engulfed in fire. Mirajane, seeing the crazed look in Natsu's eyes, tightened her grip on the frying pan and hit a couple of random guild members. "FREE-FOR-ALL!" " **SWORD HORN!** " those two warcries were all the incentive needed for a raven-haired, shirtless young man with his guild stamp on his right pectoral muscle to ram Natsu into a beam and begin punching the shit out of him.

Gray Fullbuster was a young man with spiky, black hair and dark, blue eyes. His body was muscular but not ridiculously so, lean enough to be considered healthy and muscular enough to be seen as strong. He was shirtless, again as his master had taught him to train in the cold mountains without any clothes on, and his green cargo pants were the only article of actual clothing he had one. His necklace was a sword with a stone in it, there was a chain connected to a ring that was in a belt loop. He was then punched in the face and into the bar, where he found an empty bottle that he _knew_ wouldn't be missed after he was done with it.

Lookin over the counter, took aim, and threw the bottle...which hit Natsu in the back of his head and knocked him into Lucy, who uttered a quick, "Yipe!" Elfman was then thrown into Mirajane, who soon after passed out from hitting her head too hard. Natsu got up and roared loudly, getting everyone to call out in their own warcries, elliciting more fighting.

"SHOULDN'T YOU GUYS BE FRIENDS?! WHY ARE YOU ALL FIGHTING?!" Lucy had a very confused look on her face, before a man with glasses and orange hair picked her up bridal style, "Oh we can be much more than friends, my dear...this fighting, is a guild normality. They're getting rid of any pent of frustration, but do you know what I do instead?" The look in this man's eyes was all the incentive Lucy needed as a reason to punch him, making him let go instantly.

Out of nowhere appeared a gigantic, dark figure who called out, "THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I LEAVE FOR TEN MINUTE?! CALM YOUR SHIT!" Natsu began to roar at the behemoth before he was stepped on and he said, "OW, PAIN!" "I SAID CALM YOUR SHIT! NO MORE ROARING FROM YOU NATSU, YOU HEAR ME?!" Natsu kept roaring, until a man with spiky blonde hair and a lightning-like scar over his left eye, leaped down from the balcony and caught Natsu in a strong headlock.

(Uncue music) Natsu made a scared Happy impression, "AYE!" Cana pulled out a glowing card with a smirk, "Natsu, guess what I have in here..." Her tone of voice made Natsu's eyes widen, "You don't..." "I do!" "You can't..." "I can!" "You aren't..." "I am!" Her smirk widened each time Natsu said something. "You won't..." "I will!" "You wouldn't..." "I would!" "NO! ANYTHING BUT THAT!" "Mmmm, nope!" She threw her card into the air and an image came into being. This image was of Natsu singing, it wasn't that bad, but then the image changed to a different scene of Natsu and someone else falling from the sky in each others arm while spinning. (Cue: Daughtry-Battleships) Natsu's voice rang through the moving images as he sang Daughtry's Battleships.

The video changed to Natsu as a little boy with a silver-haired little girl by his side, holding an egg that was about as big as either of them. They looked contented as they smiled at each other, when the image faded and (Uncue music)Natsu seemed to have calmed down. The blonde man let Natsu go and asked a simple, "Feel better?" Natsu looked to him with tired eyes, "Not really...I ate a house before we went to Hargeon and my singing voice sucks, as I was reminded just now, Laxus. How do you think I'm feeling ri-OW!" The now named Laxus had let go of the Salamander and was about to walk away when the words 'I ate a house and my singing voice sucks' were heard, and the entire guild faceplanted.

"WHAT THE FUCK?! WHY DID YOU EAT A HOUSE?! AND HOW THE FUCK DOES YOUR VOICE SUCK?! I get that it wasn't that great a couple years ago, BUT YOUR VOICE ISN'T HORRIBLE!" "THEY BREAK DOWN MY SORROWS! AND MY VOICE DOES TOO SUCK! YOU JUST WON'T ADMIT IT, GRAMPS!" The titan's face was hit by his left hand at the words of their other First Generation Dragon Slayer.

"Natsu, let's get something straight, okay?" Natsu turned to the taller-than-him blonde man with a lightning-like scar, "What do you want now Laxus?! Just another chance to insult me and **my generation of Dragon Slayers?!** " Laxus sighed guiltily(I said it in the first chapter, the Dragon Slayers are gonna interact differently 'cause they don't want to go extinct), "No, Natsu, I don't want to insult you...I see the error of my ways in that!" Natsu was silent and pale, _H-h-h-h-h-he-e-e-e-e-e-e..._ It was clear to everybody else that Natsu was stunned to the point that he wasn't even there.

"Natsu, your soul's split, we understand that and everything...but you need to let it all go! Get a grip, be the playful prankster we all miss, come back to us so you can 'beat' my ass! **Wake up, damn it!** " Natsu wasn't able to hear anything, as Happy kept calling him 'Pa-tsu'. Everyone who'd known Natsu long enough understood that Natsu preferred to not be called that, but even that didn't wake him up. Happy began to cry slightly, believing that Natsu had finally lost the rest of his soul.

"Patsu! Please wake up, Patsu...we still haven't found Lismama! We have to find her, she'll need you..." Happy's words didn't reach the empty-eyed, blank-staring and practically dead Dragon Slayer, making him cry more. A calloused hand softly touched Happy's tear-covered cheek, "...Ha-pp-y...do...n't cr...y..." Natsu's distant way of saying these words was barely audible, but Happy heard it and he perked up exponentially, "Come on, Patsu. Just a little farther, you can wake up...just a little bit more..." Natsu's eyes still looked dead until he gasped and grabbed the area his heart was held like it just restarted beating.

"I'll be damned, he's alive! Hehehe, he yet lives..." Laxus's chuckles made Natsu punch him in the face with a haunted look, "Don't apologize to me ever again, unless it's in the form of an insult, don't apologize to me! Jesus, that was a bit more traumatizing than I expected..." Natsu ran a hand through his pink locks, while Laxus rubbed his face in discomfort from the heat Natsu generated naturally.

"Fine, asshole, just don't do that when I'm talking!" Natsu chuckled as the titan in the room(see what I did there) shrank from the height of a house to a pitiful three feet, "Well now that that's over, and we've got Natsu in the land of the living still, let's address Natsu's last destructive visit..." Natsu audibly gulped, as his face paled again as the man leaped to the second floor's railing, hitting his back in the process.

"I've got complaints from the Magic Council about a certain fire-breather, burning down the mayor of Hargeon's house...care to explain, Natsu?!" Natsu looked up to the man with indignity, "I CLEANED UP AFTERWARDS, TELL THE MAGIC COUNCIL TO GO FUCK THEMSELVES! Besides, I brought back the slave-trafficker who pissed me off, see?!" Natsu grabbed Bora by the back of his collar and showed him to the short Guild Master, "I did Hargeon a couple of public services, you're acting like that's a bad thing!"

"When you destroy the mayor's house, it is a bad thing Natsu!" He jumped down to look the still-sitting Natsu the pile of papers, "The agic Council doesn't care if you repair the damage, they only care if you do the damage...I understand that you fixed it, and that you did a very good thing, but the Magic Council doesn't give two shits! So next time you have to do something really good, keep it to a minimal level of damages."

Natsu nodded, when the papers were set alight and shoved in his mouth, "Eat them while you've the chance. This guild is here to push the limits of magic, our innate talents and gifts, and we can't let things like the Magic Council stop that. So never stop training, never look back to your mistakes with sadness, never surrender when there's an obstacle and NEVER GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS!" The short man with an orange jacket and bent-horned hat shot his hand up in the air with his index finger pointing upwards, "WE ARE THE NUMBER ONE GUILD IN FIORE AND WON'T BE BULLIED INTO SUBMISSION!"

Natsu did the same and roared, soon accompanied by Laxus. Natsu's flaming breath took the shape of Fairy Tail's insignia, Laxus shot lighting into the flames as well, making the insignia glow brighter. There were cheers from the entire guild; young and old, fresh and seasoned. After the excitement ended, Mirajane brought out a stamp, "Where do you want your stamp and what color?"

"My right hand and...pink!" Lucy placed her hand on the bar counter and Mirajane pressed the stamp on the back of her hand, "This might sting a little bit." It was done, "That didn't hurt at-AAAAAHHHH!" Mirajane smiled apologetically. (They're gettin' an instantaneous tattoo, no matter how softly, it's gonna hurt like a bitch. Tattoo's are basically specially colored bruises)

"Hey, I think I'll take you up on your offer, Macao!" "Okay then, let's go. We need to take care of a Vulcan, that shouldn't be a problem for either of us, the only problem is that it's on Mt. Hakobe..." Natsu had his arms behind his head as he walked with Macao out of town, when Lucy and Happy appeared out of nowhere, "We're coming too!"

"No/No." The unified statement made Lucy facefault, and made Happy give Natsu teary eyes. Those eyes made Natsu turn his head away with a jerk, and Happy appeared in front of his face, pleading with his eyes. Natsu then just shut his eyes, trying to prevent himself from saying yes. He opened his eyes and Lucy was trying it, making Natsu give the two of them a blank stare, "Am I supposed to say yes because a girl I don't know's trying to puppy-dog eye me?" Happy then shoved Lucy away and resumed trying to make Natsu say yes, getting him to shut his eyes again, "No, and it's final Happy."

"Mmmmm! But, Lismama would say yes..." That made Natsu tense, letting Happy know he'd won, "...I hate it when you do that..." (Happy calls both of his technical parents 'pa' and 'mama' with parts of their actual name because he understands they're not his actual parents but views them as such) "Aye!" Lucy looked to Natsu with a glare that her puppy eyes didn't effect him, "What gives?! Why is it that Happy can get you to have issues, but my puppy eyes don't work?!"

Natsu just blankly stared at her, "What do you mean? Why would the pleading eyes of a female stranger get me to say yes?" Lucy looked to him in increasing confusion, she'd asked him to tell her about himself and all he'd said was 'I'm taken'. Macao saw what was going through her mind so decided to explain for Natsu and Happy, "He's a Dragon Slayer and he's a mate, and since he's not acting 'sweetly' around you, I'd say that he's a single mate kind of guy. Dragon Slayers have a powerful sense of loyalty, even if it seems questionable, and his loyalty is to his mate. So anything you do that seems like a move on him, like the pleading eyes you used, won't work on him and will only irritate him immensely. So, try to act like he's a cousin or something!"

The man finished with a smile, when Natsu thought of their transportation, "Do we have to take Evil Transportation..." "Yes, Natsu, we have to take a carriage." "noooo!" Just thinking about it was making him look green, "Would it be fine with you two if Happy fly me there?!" The hopeful and pleading tone in his voice made Macao chuckle, "Fine. Just don't start fighting the Vulcan before we get there!" "Aye aye, sir! WOOHOO!"

Happy hopped into Natsu's hand and curled up, when Natsu threw him and then shot after him with fire propelling him from his feet. Lucy just stared after them as they disappeared as a twinkle in the sky, "How come we can't do that?!" "Do _you_ have an Exceed available? I also can't use Red Carpet the distance to Mt. Hakobe, especially with a passenger. So we're stuck using a carriage."

Lucy's reply was a groan of disappointment, making Macao chuckle, "Hehehe, we've not been properly introduced yet. I'm Macao Conbolt, and you are?" Lucy shook his outstretched hand, "Lucy Heartfilia, nice to meet you! Who's this, 'Lismama', Happy's mentioned today?" Macao's jovial expression turned somber, "That's Happy's name for her, as she and Natsu hatched him and raised him as their own since they were children. That egg in Cana's projection? That was Happy, Natsu mistook him for a dragon egg and wanted to hatch it."

"That explains that, but who is she?! You didn't answer my question!" Macao's smile returned, "Yes I did, you just don't know how...hehehe!" He was then chased to the carriage post by one, very, irate Lucy Heartfilia. He laughed heartily the whole way to the post.

 **Mt. Hakobe, after Lucy and Macao get there**

The wind blew, the snow and ice fell heavily, one couldn't see a foot in front of them and the group was freezing their asses off. Well, Lucy and Macao were. Happy was wrapped up in Natsu's scarf in his bag, warmly protected from the elements by Natsu's naturally high body heat and the scarf. "I-i-i-i-i-it's s-s-s-s-s-s-so-o-o-o-o-o-o c-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-cold..."

Natsu slowed down, unaffected by the cold, and said in a bored tone, "That's what you get for wearing light clothes!" Macao looked to Natsu with a soft smile, _You never change, Natsu, even if you act like you don't care...you can't stand seeing someone suffer._ "I w-w-warned you, Lucy, I-I warned you..."

"Y-y-y-y-you d-d-d-didn-n-n-n-n't say t-t-t-t-ther-r-r-r-re was a b-b-blizzard!" "I-It's a mountain, t-t-there are going to be b-blizzards." Lucy glared at the pyro-mage, "F-f-f-forget it! Open, gate of the Clock Constellation! Horologium!" A father clock with arms, legs, a head and a face appeared out of nowhere. Lucy was then inside of it, unable to be heard but being translated by Horologium.

"'Why can't you make a fire for us?' She inquires." The British accented living-clock spoke for the unhearable Lucy, "I don't have a source of fire to make a substantial fire for us, and Macao's too cold to make a flame for me to consume! Just deal with it for now." Lucy looked indignantly from behind Horologium's glass door, "'What do you mean you don't have a source of fire, can't you eat your own?!' She demands."

"Would you be able to consume your Celestial Spirits, if you were forced to consume a Celestial Spirit, would you be physically capable to?" The father clock had wide eyes at the image of Lucy eating a Celestial Spirit, "'No, I wouldn't be able to eat a Celestial Spirit! Whoever I would be forced to eat would become spirit particles!' She shouts." Natsu smiled at the understanding look on her eyes as he turned around and started walking backwards while saying, "Same concept, only I can't get the flames to go into my body."

That's when Happy's voice was heard, "Patsu, look! A cave!" Natsu turned around, letting Happy look to their travelling companions with an adorable look in his eyes, smiling at them cutely. "'Awww!' She sighs." "'Shut up!' I say back." Natsu entered the icy cave, followed by the other two, "This place should be a good place to wait out the blizzard, we should try and start a fire...Macao, how warm are you right now? Can you get a good fire started?"

Macao snapped his fingers in his old trademark fire-starting trigger, a decent sized flame appeared in his palm, "Yeah. But we'd need fire wood!" Natsu looked to his bag, as Happy's little paws waved a stick that was packed in case of situations like this, "Aye! We've got firewood, Mister Macao!" Horologium suddenly vanished, dropping Lucy on her knees on the cold ice, "C-c-c-cold..."

Happy started tossing out sticks willy-nilly, while Natsu gathered them up in a spot that looked good enough when he melted the ice on the floor of the spot. The ice melted and the rock underneath was dried out quickly, as the sticks were set up, letting Macao start a reasonably sized fire. Lucy crawled over like a thirsty person does at the sight of a cooler. After a couple of minutes, Lucy asked an odd question, "How old are you, Happy? When I met you and Natsu, you seemed to be the adult out of the two of you, but now..."

"I'm six, Miss Lucy! I act older than I am so no one picks on me and so I can handle the rough patches in life, it's an effective strategy, you should try it!" The innocent and chipper tone in Happy's voice was adorable, making Lucy sigh, when she realized what the flight-enabled feline was implying. Upon realizing what Happy was implying, she went after the bag that Happy was residing in at the moment. When she got close, Natsu held the bag closer to him and glared at her with a loud, draconic growl.

"Touch him, **and you're dead...** " The message received, she backed up and he lightened his hold on the bag. Macao sighed heavily and wizenedly, attracting the attention of Lucy as Natsu took on the Lotus position and went to sleep. "Why is he so hostile to me? I get he raised Happy since he was a kid, but it's only _me_ he's nasty to!"

"As I said, he's a single mate kind of guy. He's still searching for her, never resting in his search, and you remind him of her in someway. So he's aggressive towards you, seeing you as the source of his pain, but you have to forgive him on that. When a Dragon Slayer chooses a mate, or mates with more than one, they 'mark' their mate. When they mark the subject of their affections, they leave traces of their magic and a piece of their soul in the one they've marked. His soul is right now incomplete, and I don't just mean metaphorically, his soul is literally split from itself and he's trying to cope with the pain; spiritual, mental, emotional, _and_ physical! Don't hold it against him, please. In the guild hall, when he spaced out and looked dead? Remember that? Laxus said something that shocked him into forgetting to hold onto life, as he wants to die and reconnect with the lost piece of his soul."

He took a breathe, this was a sincere moment that held a lot of weight, "He's still in there. 'Trying to remain whole whilst in pieces', I guess you could say! He will forever be fighting off death and insanity, unless he is somehow right that she's still alive..." Happy piped up at that remark with angry tears in his eyes, "Lismama _is_ alive, Mister Macao! I know she disappeared, but we're still looking for her and we won't stop looking!" These heartfelt words were heard clearly, and powerfully, until a monkey-like creature came into the cave.

"Patsu! Wake up, it's the Vulcan!" Natsu was up in an instant, he then called out, "Fire Dragon's Crushing **FANG!** " His hand ignited in flames and he hit the Vulcan in the face, leaving a flurry of flames on the Vulcan's face. The creature's body was like an ape of some variety, but it had a tail like a monkey. It had white fur on its torso, arms and legs but its stomach, chest, hands, and feet were all bare of fur.

Macao sent a stream of flames at the animal in a rope-like manner, tangling its limbs up in the fire and leaving it open for attack, an opening Natsu took, "Lucy! Use a spirit and give us a hand, you need the experience in combat and I can't beat the thing in one hit!" Lucy looked and nodded before bringing out a key, "Open! Gate of the Bull! Taurus!" Out of the circle of energy came a humanoid bull, carrying an axe and looking at Lucy perversely, "My my, Miss Lucy! You're looking as ravishing as ever!"

"Less flirting, more hurting!" "Right!" Taurus charged at the tied-up-in-flames Vulcan with his axe readied as Natsu readied a last-blow attack, "Fire Dragon's **IRON FIST!** " The humanoid bull and Natsu struck as one, destroying the Vulcan in that one blow. "I'd say this mission only took us about an hour to finish...holy shit, we're awesome! And Lucy, too!" That made Lucy's short-lived happiness end, "And what does that mean?!"

"Nothing besides the fact that you're annoying!" Natsu was then smacked, making him rub his red right cheek in pain, "Don't call people annoying unless you really want to get smacked!" Natsu's eyes gleamed, "Did you ever think that someone might _want_ to get smacked?" Lucy's only response was to look confused, before blushing and looking away from him, in embarrassment or anger no one knew.

"Let's go and collect the reward and leave these frigid peaks. You coming, Natsu?" Natsu was standing at the mouth of the cave, transfixed by the blizzard and it's dangerous beauty, "I'll be back at the guild in a little while, I just want to...watch the blizzard for a while..." Macao simply shrugged while Lucy looked very confused, "You want to watch the natural catastrophe-in-the-making that's buried thousands of foolhardy hikers?!"

"...yeah..." Natsu's short answer made question marks surround Lucy's head for a minute before she took the blanket from Natsu's bag and following Macao to the bottom of the mountain. Natsu just sat at the mouth of the cave with his bag right beside him, Happy snuggled in it _happi_ ly. "Patsu..." Natsu's eyes didn't leave the flying snow, "Hm?" "Why did you want to watch Mother Nature's blender blend the snow?" Natsu smiled softly at the 'Mother Nature's blender' comment, Lisanna had tried explaining what a blizzard was to Happy when he was four and it just stuck even though he understood that it wasn't a goddess's blender.

"...The blizzard reminds me of her, Happy...of her scent, her hair, her gorgeous eyes! All of it, reminds me of her...I could spend an eternity here, in this cave's mouth, just watching the blizzard with never ending tranquility. Odd, isn't it, Happy?" He heard no response, "Happy?" He turned to see Happy looking at him with tired eyes from the tranquil atmosphere and the amount of crying that had taken place recently, before he succumbed to sleep. Natsu smiled warmly at the Exceed, "Rest well, son. We've a long road ahead of us..."

Happy mumbled something incomprehensible about fish and that made Natsu chuckle lightly, _He misses you, Lisanna. He needs his mother...and I, my mate. Where are you?! Are you truly dead as everyone thinks? Or are you lost somewhere else?_ Unknown to Natsu, his words were heard and in somewhere very far away, a white Fairy Tail stamp mark was shed light on...

 **XXXXXXXXXXXX**

That's a wrap ladies, gents and other! I wanted to end on a note that most anime's do when they reach an intermission. Sorta like Happy's 'and then...'s in the original anime, I chose that little end bit of a white Fairy Tail mark being shed light on. Natsu's gonna be an unlikably lovable prick to Lucy, and who can blame him really? Come in next chapter; an old friend comes home, a mission's started, and a few new enemies are made...Now that that's outta the way: R&R, no flamin' my ass, constructive criticism, and SEE YE-GOOD NIGHT!


	3. Shit, my cover's blown!

Whaz up ladies, gents and other! I'm gonna bring in the big guns! The big bitch, herself! Erza Scarlett! She's gonna have a bit of a respect she didn't in the anime, she knows the feeling of loss like nobody's business and she's gonna be a bit more on the soft side at first...I can't own Fairy Tail, 'cause I ain't Hiro Mashima. Let's blow this popsicle stand! Also, Natsu and Lucy've already done the mission that took them to Duke Everlude's mansion...more like 'everlube'. HAHAHAHAHAHA! I'm sorry-I'm sorry, but HAHAHAHA! (Frozen, feminine claw to the face) OW! I kinda overdid it with the emotional atmosphere in the beginning of this chapter. The reason's so that Erza's reason for accepting Natsu's request isn't based on pride, but a technically dying wish.

'Paraphrasing'

"Normal speech"

" **Draconic voice** "

 _Thoughts and or emphasis_

 **XXXXXXXXXXXX**

Natsu was right now, between a breastplate and a cold place, _Why is it that Erza always zeroes in on me?! What have_ I _, a First Generation Dragon Slayer and innocent bystander of most catastrophes around me, done?!_ (Suffice to say, Natsu's no genius and he's a little bit stuck up about his place on the foodchain of Dragon Slayers) The _scarlet_ haired knightress-in-shining-armor had literally zeroed in on him, and smashed his head against her breastplate in a show of affection in a hug-like manner.

"...Erza...you're hurting me! I may have a tough hide...but your squeezing my head against your breastplate..." Erza then let go of him and he was then put into a headlock that involved using legs, courtesy of a fully naked Gray Fullbuster. Natsu was now _very_ uncomfortable, as he could feel a certain appendage(If ye could call it that) rubbing against his cheek, "Gray...if you don't get some clothes on, I'll bite that _thing_ off!"

Gray then realized he was naked and began searching g for his missing clothes, leaving an uncomfortable Natsu sighing in relief from the awkward strangle hold. _Oh, Thank you, Sweet Merciful God!_ _THAT_ _was the most awkward moment I've ever, and hopefully ever will, experience!_ Erza was just staring at them while looking for a place to put the gigantic horn she'd brought with her, "Natsu, Gray. I need your help for a mission...if you would be so kind as to help me."

Natsu looked at her with empty eyes, flickering in and out of focus. Erza saw this and called out to him as she caught his seemingly lifeless body in her armored arms, "Natsu, stay with us! Come on, stay with us a little bit longer...if you won't stay for us, stay for her. For Happy! Stay for Happy, stay for your little boy! Come on," Natsu's eyes started to focus more, like he was waking up, "That's it! Come now, just a little more! You can do it. If you don't: who will beat Gildarts, Laxus and I?! Who will raise Happy and his mother?! Stay with us, Natsu!"

Natsu gasped and jerked out of her arms, heavily breathing, "That's twice in one week! Why can't I use my soul to find her consciously?! WHY, DAMNIT?!" Natsu roared, before Laxus and Mirajane hit him on the top of his head, "SHUT UP/UP!" Their synchronized shout made them exchange an awkward glance, blush, and turn away from each other.

"The tearing, it won't stop...I'll help, Erza! But since my clock's ticking, I want to fight you as soon as we get back, before my chances of doing so become nonexisten-OW!" Erza, Laxus, and Mirajane hit him at once, trying to bring back their mischievous knucklehead, "WE WON'T LET YOU GIVE UP! STOP TALKING LIKE YOU'LL DIE ANY MINUTE/MINUTE!" (I suck at overlappin' dialogue)

Natsu didn't look up because Mira was there, but his downcast eyes were wide as saucers, "Why is it that you three care so much...all I've ever done is cause trouble, you three ' very more reaso n to hate me more than most. SO WHY DO YOU STOP ME FROM RESTING IN PEACE?! IF I LET GO I WON'T SUFFE AND I'LL FIND HER! I'M DYING, GOD'S DAMNIT, AND THERE'S NO THINGS ANY ONE OF US CAN DO ABOUT IT! WHY DO YOU PRO LONGER THIS INEVITABLE RESTING THAT I SO DESPERATELY DESIRE?!"

Instead of the three who were smacking sense into him, a choked up voice answered, "...Paatsu...she wouldn't want you to give up...why are you giving up and leaving me alone?! Huh huh, waaahh!" Natsu's teary eyes looked from the floor to stare at the sadly - wailing Happy, "Happy, no don't cry!" Natsu crawled over to his baby boy tentatively and painfully, "I'm sorry, Happy, I'm sorry...don't cry. What have we taught you about crying when you shouldn't?" Natsu's soft words were heard by the feline he cradled in his arms as he sat cross-legged.

"That-huh-I," Happy sniffed and sobbed out, "I don't have to cry every time something sad happens...and that I have to stay strong, for when I can cry - huh huh huh-happily. That I wasn't born to be sad everyday, that I was born to be...*sniffle*Happy. And you said that I should save my rears for when...huh huh...we find Lismama!"

"That's," Natsu said in his ear, "my boy! Don't cry if you don't have to, and if you do...don't until you are safe and away from insults! Now cheer up, Miss Erza's got a mission for us, and Mister Gray!" Natsu looked to his boy with tears as Happy's tears dried up and the smile returned slowly, "A-Aye, Paatsu...is it okay if I keep calling you that?" Happy looked hopeful, when Natsu nodded with happy tears in his eyes, "Yes, son, it's fine! Now what mission has the 'Shiny Lady' Miss Erza Scarlet got for us?!"

Erza smiled softly at Happy's childish, curious face while Gray came back with his pants on again, "I need your help investigating strange activity concerning Eisenwald. With the Master at the Guild Masters Meeting, I can't talk to Master about it, so I'm going to be relying on you two and any help you believe might be necessary!"

Laxus and Mirajane went about there own business, not even worrying about the mention of a Dark Guild being involved. Lucy paid attention to the station they'd be heading to once they got packed, stashing this information for later use.

 **The train station**

Natsu's face was green as the leaves on the trees, "I need a brick, that usually settles my stomach and breaks down my sorrows..." Happy took a brick out of Natsu's bag and tossed it in the air, it then landed in Natsu's gaping mouth, where it was crushed and broken down by Natsu's powerful jaws and ridiculously-sturdy teeth. Happy was in Natsu's backpack again, making cute mews every now and then to attract attention.

Erza had a literal wagon behind her with her suit cases, "Natsu, I understand that you've been trying to integrate training with everyday life, I'd this correct?" Erza received a confused nod, "Then could you carry my luggage for the train attendants? They seem unfit for the task..." True to her word, a train attendant couldn't even lift one of the suit cases and ended up on her back.

"Aye/Aye!" Happy and Natsu said this as one, making several passersby look at the literal 'cat in the bag' curiously. Gray was right beside Lucy, who'd just got there, when he realized (on his own) that he was but naked, "Excuse me, Lucy, but can I borrow your underwear?" Lucy immediately punched him in the stomach, getting him to grunt in discomfort and Lucy to hold her fist from punching Gray's sturdy abs.

Natsu stepped on several peoples' toes, not caring about their complaining, as he carried Erza's heavy luggage. Gray was searching for his clothing again, getting several people to cover their eyes or the eyes of their children. Erza was checking off her luggage as it entered the train carts. Lucy was trying to calm her nerves from Gray's unintentional display of genitalia.

Happy was just hunky-dory where he was, as he was seen as Natsu passed by people. The sounds of draconic growling escaped Natsu's throat, indicating his discomfort in situations concerning crowded areas. (Raised in element respective environments most of their childhoods, crowded buildings are a Hell for Dragon Slayers) Happy began to rub Natsu's back through the backpack's material, purring all the while, "It's okay, Paatsu! We'll be on our way before you know it. Besides, we've more bricks to settle your tummy!"

Natsu responded to the purrs by vibrating his cords and making a very deep chirp sound reminiscent of a freshly hatched crocodilian, making Happy purr louder and amusedly, "I know, Happy, I know. I just don't like these buildings or those infernal trains, or any vehicle really! I can't stand passing the ground like that, feeling the earth below me move by so fast...it makes me nauseous! And the feeling of the engines, the tracks, the footfalls of each passenger and attendant, and the sight of the landscape passing by so fast! It's a stomach murderer..."

"Aye! It's sad the house you ate before we took the train to Hargeon was so small, you digested it before we got to Hargeon." Happy was still rubbing against Natsu's back through the backpack, while the chirping continued and confused several passersby. It was when Natsu finished loading things up that the train conductor called out, "ALL ABOARD!" That got the group moving and into their cart, where they watched as the landscape passed them by. Natsu stared out the window, being at the window to avoid throwing up on someone, with eyes that told anyone of his exhaustion in a single glance.

Erza was staring out the same window in the seat across from the Dragon Slayer, contemplating what would happen on their mission. Gray was reading a magazine he'd found that gave mages of any and every type tips for training. Happy was in the backpack still, sleeping, with the bag in Natsu's lap. Lucy was reading over Gray's shoulder, fully aware that he knew she was there while trying to find a conversation starter to end the somewhat uncomfortable silence..."So!" The others jumped slightly, having been lost in their own worlds, "I know Natsu, sort of, but I don't know the two of you. What are your interests, hobbies, dislikes, etc.? Erza, you want to go first?"

Erza looked at the Celestial she'd not had the pleasure to meet until now, "I'm Erza Scarlet. I like strawberry cake, my friends and our guild. I dislike rule breakers, a certain white-haired Take Over mage, and dark guilds. My hobbies are..." Natsu and Gray muttered almost inaudibly, "Nonexistent!" Erza then punched them both in their stomachs, barely missing the backpack Happy resided in, eliciting groans from them and getting Happy to apologize to Erza.

Lucy just stared at the two young men as they held their stomachs in pain, "...Not many hobbies I'll take it?!" Erza looked to her, making Lucy regret speaking and start thinking that she was about to be killed, "Yes, I don't have any hobbies. I don't get out much, besides jobs..." "Aye!" Happy smiled at the two of them and crawled out of the bag to rub against Erza's armored side as well as purr out, "Paatsu didn't mean it. You don't have to hurt him, Miss Scerza!"

Lucy sighed at the adorableness of Happy and his nicknames for people, while Erza was trying to figure out how to explain not to call her that while not hurting him, "...Please don't call me 'Miss' or 'Scerza'. My name is Erza Scarlet, and I don't like being called 'Miss' because I sound old like that." Happy's tail wagged around excitedly, "But Paatsu told me your name and I couldn't pronounced it, so he maked it easier!"

Erza's forehead was now sporting a tickmark as she gritted out, "Oh, he did, did he?!" Natsu looked to Erza, who's hair was overshadowing her face menacingly, in terror and gulped. Erza slowly raised her head to display her maniacal grin that sent shivers down the spines of those who saw it, when Natsu glared at her emptily, making her grin disappear and her aggression disappear as he was practically begging her to put him out of his misery.

"You've no resolve," He said, getting surprised looks from those gathered around, "to kill such a sad face. You took one look into my eyes, the eyes of a man who's taken lives of animals to survive since childhood. I developed the resolve to kill, from the moment I could walk. You don't have that...and I doubt you ever will!" Natsu got up and walked out of the booth, not a wince or limp in his step. He left the cart and the group could hear footsteps on the roof of the train, as if..."He wouldn't!"

Happy tapped the window, drawing attention to it, when Natsu's face was seen at the top of the window. "He did!" Natsu knocked on the window, making Happy open it, and letting the Dragon Slayer flip into the booth, "...tadaa..." Erza stared at her childhood friend, trying to figure out when he'd changed from the playful boy of their past...into this man who stood before her with pain beating in his breast. Gray was backed up into the seat, scared out of his wits by this stranger he'd mistaken for his rival, _When did he start acting like a daredevil?! WHY is he acting like a daredevil?! IT'S LIKE HE DOESN'T EVEN CARE!_

Lucy and Happy just stared at Natsu like this was normal, as Lucy'd seen Natsu do weirder in the Everlude job they did. Happy was just staring in surprise that his father-figure had done something like that in front of their friends. "As I said, you've no resolve." Natsu plopped back into his seat, Happy returning to the bag in his lap, and he returned to staring out the window.

Erza and Gray exchanged a glance, deciding to take Natsu on more jobs later, and returned to what they were doing. They were, unknowingly, being targeted and spied on...

 **A couple hours**

(I'm guessin' a few of ye've figured out the extra a in 'Patsu'. It's so no one can say I'm usin' the name from the movie, Castle in the Sky) Natsu had been knocked out for complaining after the brick he'd eaten had stopped working and that eating another would make it worse. Erza had Natsu's head in her lap, playing with his pink locks out of boredom, while the train stopped.

"This is our stop, we have to..." She kept going, completely forgetting the unconscious Natsu, explaining the mission's purpose. Natsu was left, forgotten, and dreaming of better days when he was once more whole. When Natsu awoke, he was met with a foot on his face, "Alright, let's go over the situation: I was knocked out by a raving psychopath, left alone on a train with a..." He sniffed the foot on his face, "...great! An Eisenwald mage. Just what I'd expect from one of you..."

"And that's supposed to mean?!" The man had black, spiky hair and black eyes. He was of average height and, Natsu assumed, average weight. His white jacket had an intricate symbol on the back, with a dark red undershirt on. His pants were aquamarine, the shoe on Natsu's face was black and a size eight. He had small, black earings on and his hair was tied up in a pineapple-like ponytail.

"..." Natsu looked at this mage with a blank stare, an unsettling sight that was emphasized by his slitted eyes, "What are you looking at me like that for?!" "...I believe you've left something on my face..." Natsu was completely silent after saying that, as he batted the foot off his face and stood up whilst taking steps towards his assailant. "What the Hell's with you, Fairy Flie?! Are you on something?!"

Natsu's blank stare turned into a violent glare that froze the young man before him, his silence was too unnerving for anyone to feel safe near him, "...I don't need to attack a defenseless and alone opponent to make a point! I'll drag you down to Hell, where we're going to get acquainted and we're going to suffer for all of eternity!"

Natsu grabbed the young man by his collar and held him above the floor, before throwing him out the window where he soon followed. The two landed on the ground, only scratched in a few places, but the sound of the group directed their attention to a group of tied up mages. Happy ran and jumped onto Natsu's shoulder, where he hugged the Dragon Slayer'sSlayer's eat affectionately, "These former Eisenwald mages tried to eat me!"

Natsu's entire body tensed, his hands balled into fists and knuckles being cracked was heard. His head was downcast, pink locks over shadowing his face from the world's eyes. "Erza, Gray, Lucy..." Said Fairy Tail mages looked to him in cautious curiosity, "Take Happy, _far_ away from here...What I am about to do, isn't meant to be seen by the eyes of **innocent!** " Happy made to protest when Lucy grabbed him off of Natsu' shoulder and ran like Hell.

Happy turned in Lucy's arms to see what was about to happen, when Lucy's hand covered his eyws, "LOOK away, buddy! Look away and cover your ears!" He did as instructed, while the other three were given a clear view and hearing range of Natsu's fury. When the three looked, they saw dark red flames with what appeared to be black areas dancing in between. The sounds of roaring were all too audible, and the screams were chilling to say the least.

That took place for ten minutes, each person's screams were more horrific and more tortured than the last. They could feel each wave of pain, sorrow, grief, and uncontrollable fury..."He's going to only grow stronger! HE'LL BE UNSTOPPABLE WHEN HE BECOMES S-CLASS!" Gray's shout met the ears of the two women, and Erza didn't even have any complaints about Gray saying 'when' instead of 'if' because she had no doubts Natsu would rise above the rest of them.

" **rrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!** " That roar sent a large shockwave through the surrounding forest, getting Lucy to yell over the warcry, "THAT DOESN'T EVEN SOUND HUMAN! WHAT IS HE?! I'VE ONLY KNOWN HIM A MONTH AND HE'S UNREADABLE!"

Erza and Gray were shocked silent, what was there to say to her? 'Oh, sorry. Did we forget to mention he's a psychotic Dragon Slayer who doesn't care whether anyone lives or dies?!' That wouldn't have gone over well and they knew it. The only one that really _knew_ the Natsu roaring right now, was Happy and he was covering his eyes and ears to retain his innocence. The roaring suddenly stopped, making Happy uncover his ears, when he heard a voice in his sensitive ears, "Close your eyes, baby!" Happy's eyes opened widely as he called out to the enigmatic voice, "LISMAMA!"

The roaring returned, stronger than ever and even darker as Lucy covered the cat's tear stricken eyes and young ears. Natsu was hurting those Eisenwald mages, and not even Mavis Vermilion would've been able to save them from a father's fury. It was another hour before everything calmed down, when it did the group was cautious.

The site where the destruction took place was mangled and massacred. Rocks were broken, burn marks were everywhere, and there were no bodies, except for the man who'd attacked Natsu. This man was shaking in terror, staring at the smoke and dust where two glowing red eyes could be seen. These eyes 'belonged to the darkest of demons', as anyone would have said or been told but they'd be wrong. The only problem with this 'demon' was that shadows began to gather around him, trying to stop the him from attacking their wielder.

"I don't know who or _what_ you are! But I know that I can kill any Fairy Fly!" The shadows rushed at Natsu, trying to kill or at least detain him, when the shadows were dispersed by a much darker substance began to fly around the Dragon Slayer. These flames of shadow were rolling off his skin and hair, making him look like the definition of shadows, as he walked to the still downed Eisenwald mage.

" **I'm only going to-rrrrr-say this once: TELL ME WHAT YOU SCUM ARE PLANNING!** " The pineapple headed mage was silent for a moment until Natsu grabbed him by the throat and lifted him off the ground, " **ANSWER ME!** " "WE'RE GOING TO USE LULLABY ON THE GUILD MASTERS AT THEIR MEETING IN CLOVERFIELD! DON'T KILL ME!" Natsu dropped him on his ass, letting him crawl away in fear, " **Good boy, now DIE!** " "NATSU!"

Natsu's flaming fist was caught by the wrist, courtesy of one shaken Erza Scarlet, "He's told us their plan, he should be allowed to live! If you kill him, you'll be no better!" Natsu's fist kept moving making Gray grip his wrist as well, "Whatever you do, do the right thing. The thing that would make _her_ proud and honor her memory! Don't be the thing that killed her!" Natsu's entire body tensed, making everybody else tense, when the flames died down, " **Fine! I** 'll play by your rules this time, but if he makes _one_ move against us..." Natsu looked into the man's eyes, showing almost unbridled hatred that was held back by unknowable apathy, "he dies."

Natsu shook their hands off his arm and strode towards Lucy, or more accurately, towards Happy in Lucy's arms. Lucy tightened her hold around Happy, thinking Natsu would attack the innocent little guy, when Happy squirmed out of her arms and into Natsu's open ones, "Paatsu's back...no more hurting people unless they hurt you, okay?" Happy's attempt at a joke met chuckling from a calmed Natsu, "Okay." Gray and Erza looked to the Eisenwald mage and walked away, leaving him to his own devices, seeing as he was too scared to move at the moment and he'd learned not to mess with Fairy Tail.

Erza called out a simple, "Requip!" Erza's Heart Kreuz armor disappeared in a flash of light and was replaced by a black armor with wings. The armor was mostly black with silver trimming, but the pauldrons and waistguard were accentuated by silver crosses. The hipguard went around her waist but left the front of her body very visible, her more 'personal' qualities of her hips were hidden by a revealing and black indument. Her sizable bust was kept close to her, making her breasts look bigger while keeping them out of the way, by an also questionably-small underwear-like piece of clothing. Erza's hair was up in a long ponytail. This armor had a high collar neckguard, decorated by several gems. the waistguard's rear area had silver-edged, feather-like plates which had the same silver crosses as her hips and shoulders. (I'm gonna screw with Natsu here, hahaha! *frozen, feminine claw scratches my face* *Tom's screaming, from the show Tom and Jerry, coming from me*) The boots looked like the talons of a raptor (bird of prey, not Jurassic Park, kids) without the rear claw, the gauntlets were like the claws of a reptile and the wings! Oh, the wings were like a giant bat's.

Natsu stared in awe of this masterpiece of metal craftmenship and feminine beauty, the dragonic features were making him drool with desire as he growled huskily. He'd been without his mate two years, two years of heat with no female to help him through it. And during heat he wouldn't be able to relieve the sexual tension on his own, two years of blue balls would do that to any man. The armor had its own scent as well, "Black ice, mmm! So much like her, and yet...so diff **erent!** "

Natsu lowered his body slightly, ready to tackle her, when Gray caught him in a headlock, "You'd better get...going Erza! I can't-OW-keep him off your ass for long...that's right, Flamebrain! Remember that scent so we don't have to carry you..." Natsu was thrashing around when Gray got him in a Full Nelson, or as Gray had come to call it, a 'Full-Nelled Buster'. (I know that made little to no sense with the name, but they don't have a Nelson in that context and also it's funny to imagine Gray inventing a name for the Full Nelson with his own name)

Erza saw Natsu's wild eyes which made her run over, grab Gray and took flight while Happy wrapped his tail around Lucy's waist and followed close after. Lucy looked to them, very confused, "WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT?!" Her shout was over the wind, but it was heard all too clearly by Happy, "I can't carry more than one person and Miss Scerza can only take so much weight before her armor automatically requips from the larger-than-it-can-handle weight. So Sce-no, Miss Erza-and Mister Gray came up with a way to make Paatsu lose all sense of himself and run fast enough to catch up while we fly ahead, in case we had an extra member with us. It's both clever, and cruel! Paatsu misses Lismama and he feels so much sexual tension inside of himself that he goes crazy at the sight of Miss Erza's Black Wing Armor."

Happy took a few deep breaths, it's harder to breath the higher someone flew and he was flying quicker than usual, "The draconic-looking features on Miss Erza's Black Wing Armor make Paatsu aroused, while the scent reminds him of Lismama enough to go crazy. He told me once that Lismama smells like, 'A blizzard and freshly-fallen snow, all at once. Night and days of blizzards having now found tranquility in their fighting and struggling, now lay, peaceful and calm in the coming days...'. Miss Erza's armors are all unique and carry their own, individual scent. The Black Wing Armor, Miss Erza's current choice; in Paatsu's own words from a few years back, 'A blizzard of black ice and a volcano's soot filled clouds. The sooty snow that has fallen overnight and lays to rest in the mourn...'"

Lucy and Erza were blushing at those words, those words could make any girl faint with how poetic they sounded if said properly. Those words carried such feeling! Erza had never heard these things spoken beforehand and the way that Happy said them only made her imagine the incredible Natsu would say it, arousing her to no end. Lucy was getting horn from the idea of brawling and don't-give-a-fuck Natsu, saying something so romantic. Gray was frustrated with the fact that his rival was getting _Erza Scarlet, Titania,_ blushing.

"IS FLAMEBRAIN A FUCKING POET OR SOMETHING?!" The shout was in Erza's ear, making her but her head on his backwards as he was on her back, but Happy heard him fine, "Mmhmm! He' even wri-mmph!" Happy stopped flying and covered his mouth with his little paws, but the damage was done, the group knew of Natsu's poetry writing.

Erza spoke up in a voice that wouldn't take no for an answer(like her wedding armor, HAHAHA!*ice claw to the face again* GODDAMNIT!"), "When this is over, Natsu and I are going to have a long talk.." Happy gulped audibly while Gray tightened his. Grip on Erza's shoulders, afraid of falling to his death as the Titania sped up.

Down below, Natsu felt a sudden chill run down his spine. Being overridden by desire, however, made it unimportant to him at that moment in time. The great news for the entire group was that they were making incredibly great time, but the uneasy feeling never left Natsu...

 **XXXXXXXXXXXX**

That's a wrap ladies, gents and other! I decided to end on a funny note instead of an emotional or interestin' one. Natsu's way of describin' Lisanna's scent was gonna be romantic, because it's like trying to explain what makes your girlfriend/boyfriend great in simple terms. You just can' do it! As always: R&R, no flamin' my ass, constructive criticism, SEE YE-GOOD NIGHT!


	4. How's about we kill some people

Whaz up ladies, gents and other! I'm back, I'm gonna keep this arc goin' til its end, and we're gonna see how well Natsu reacts to Erza in her Black Wing Armor when he can get her...HAHAHAHA (*Ice claw scratches my face* OW! QUITE WITH THE HURTING) I don't own Fairy Tail, or anythin' I reference, all I own are my bad puns and this story.

 _Thoughts or emphasis_

'Paraphrasing'

"Normal speech"

" **Draconic speech** "

 **XXXXXXXXXXX**

They were almost to the village of Clover Town, and making better time then they would've had they been walking. Natsu was on the ground, running at full speed when he jumped and started propelling himself by sending fire to rocket from his feet. His ingenuity in his lust clouded state was a testament to his stubbornness and cleverness as Gray started to make Ice Lances to keep him at bay for the moment, "Any time now..." Gray's creating of ice was limited to one hand and that made the ice unstable and jagged, instead of complete and smooth. This was because he was on Erza's back, with two wings flapping on his left and right while he had his arms around the Titania's shoulders to stop himself from falling to certain death.

"We'll be there in a few more minutes, when we get there we're going to take a dive, Happy!" "Aye!" Erza's words made Lucy and Gray exchange scared looks, realizing that the two fliers were serious and they then took notice of Happy's wings and Erza's winged armor were fading in and out of focus. It was as if the flight enabling appendages were projections that were being shown by a projector, running out of film faster than could be given.

"How long until your wings vanish?!" Happy looked onward, not sparing a glance to the woman with his tail wrapped around her waist, "A few minutes, that's why we're going to dive before that happens! When our time's almost up, no matter where we are, we're going to dive to the ground and land as our wings become unusable for the time being." Lucy looked to the young feline in awe, even when his father-figure's coming after and possibly onto a woman other than his mother-figure, he was so calm and serious. The playful little guy wasn't the one flying her right now, this was the cat she met in Hargeon with a much more mature eye than most adults.

"Right." Lucy held onto Happy's tail now, trusting him but not herself in a situation like this. Natsu was right next to them now, his fire propelling him and his eyes were devoid of his intelligence, what ever was left of it that is. Erza's eyes widened in fear as the pyrovore jerked towards her and flipped, an attempt to detain her in progress when she and Happy dived, catching the Dragon Slayer off guard and completely confused. That's when his dilated eyes befell Clover Town, his mind slowly coming to a conclusion, _Migration...Mating ritual..._ (His mind's lust-idled, cut 'im some slack! Also, he's 'thinkin' in a way along the lines of an animal. Lisanna uses Animal Take Overs, and he's mistaken Erza's Black Wing Armor scent for Lisanna, so he's following a train of thought that coincides with previous experiences)

With this in mind, he let the fires keeping him up snuff out and he then started to fall with them, believing 'his mate' to be taking part in a draconic behavior that he'd shown her as a kid. He turned to a frightened Erza, his eyes were glazed over and feral, as he went to wrap his arms around her when Gray made a sword of ice, "Knock it off, Flamebrain! We're almost there, try to keep your sanity and sexual affairs separate during a mission!"

Gray started to swing at Natsu, still holding onto Erza as the ground came closer. Gray threw the sword at Natsu, hoping to keep him at a distance that will make it so that Erza can stay free of his...'influence'. The sword of ice passed by Natsu's face, time slowing down as he stared himself in the face for a split second, before the sword went in the direction of Happy, "Ah!"

Slice!

And Natsu was cut, having regained enough coherent thought to protect his boy from the approaching danger, he propelled himself into the sword's journey. And he was now stuck with a large cut on his chest, and a sword of ice stabbed into his shoulder. " **rrrRaawwwwhhh!** " Then came the ground. Happy, Erza and a slowly bleeding Natsu flapped their wings and sent fire beneath themselves, saving them from dying by height and touched the ground as Happy's and Eza's flight capable qualities disappeared in small flashes of light.

Natsu, still relying on instinct, pounced for the Scarlet Knight and was then batted away by an armored backhand, "Not today, boy! Nice try, but no luck." He was breathing heavily, his breathing coming out as raspy grunts as he pulled the sword out of his shoulder, while upside down against a tree. Gray took the sword and turned around in his hand, making sure that it was intact and still usable. Happy unwrapped his tail from Lucy's waist to check on Natsu, and finding Natsu's shoulder only shallowly injured.

"Paatsu's going to be fine, his tough skin's going to keep him alive a long time!" Natsu's chest wasn't bleeding anymore, and when it was it was only barely bleeding. The stab in his shoulder only broke the skin and had remained there because scales had begun to form on Natsu's chest and shoulder. "Doesn't mean it doesn't hurt...what the Hell happened? Where are we? Did I black out and get us here?" The sun was rising in the sky, since they'd taken a short camp break yesterday, and Eisenwald wasn't there yet. They had loads of time. Erza, being the technical leader of this mission, went to the Guild Master's Meeting Building to inform the Guild Masters of the approaching danger while the others went around town to warn the townsfolk about the incoming dark guild.

They had more time than they knew what to do with. "GRAY!" "WHAT?!" Natsu and Gray were literally butting heads at the moment, in the middle of town, "What are your weaknesses, magic-wise?!" The glare that he sent was reciprocated by his rival, "i can't make 'living' ice! What about it?!" Natsu's scowl deepened, "Let's see who can train the fuck out of himself!" Those words were shouted but the town's people thought Natsu said, 'Let's fuck!', for whatever reason...(*Snickering*)

And those two were then occupied, as they began to spar with each other for a little bit without any magic involved, just pure physical training at the moment. The entire town could hear them punching, kicking, elbowing, kneeing, and any-other-'ing'-ing each other. It was the sight of Natsu and Gray beating each other up that Erza walked onto, "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TWO DOING?!"

So into their training style, they didn't recognize Erza's voice, "SHUT UP/UP!" Those two voices were unified, as they started attacking her out of the heat of the moment, when Natsu landed a hit. "...Oh-SHIT!" And they went running! The evil gleam in the Titania's eyes made everyone in town vacate out of 'respect', and complete and utter terror.

 **Midday**

Natsu and Gray had done this before, hiding from Erza for their lives. So they knew what kinds of places to look for, and what would make a great trap or distraction. The ice-using stripper student of Ur had taken refuge under the town's fountain in the middle of the village, being cold meant he could keep his breath and other bodily requirements limited for extended periods of time. (Reptilian quality I'm addin' in. His body temperature's almost always lower than the environment around him and that's partly why he strips so much. Reptiles, especially large ones, don't need to eat very often because they're cold blooded, and I just made that a quality that acts as a _perk_ for Ice-Make Mages)

Natsu was in an alleyway, melting the stone and drying out the dirt enough to create a hole he can hide in for a few hours. He'd learned from Igneel to be patient like a wide variety of creatures, in his father's words, ' **Waiting for the rain and its blessings...** '. His father had taught him several useful tricks to survive predators that he wouldn't be able to beat, this was one of them. A neat fact about this type of digging holes: the earth can be dried to the point that it's basically sand and the melted stone can be broken into rocks that can be ground up into sand. With this in mind, he could make a hole and cover it up from the inside out. The only drawback: it took time, especially if the digger was in enemy territory...

Luckily, Natsu had set up a gauntlet of traps throughout the town in his search for a hiding place. Just like their days as children, Gray and Natsu were great players of Hide-N-Seek, always had been. The sound of a girly squeal was heard by the both of them, _DAMNIT!_ They thought, _Lucy sprung my/Natsu's trap! Erza remembers our games of Hide-N-Seek too, I see..._ Natsu's heating of dirt and rock became hastened, no smoke would occur, but the smell of burning rocks and the warmth of the fire would be tracked if he wasn't careful.

Metallic clinking was heard near the fountain, even though he was underwater, he could hear fine. It was a big surprise to find such a deep fountain, but he wasn't complaining, as he saw the tell-tale sign of Erza's scarlet hair when she passed by the fountain 'casually'. She'd played this game with them a thousand times over, and she'd never been able to find them the first time she looked, but she now had more armor sets to help her search, "Requip!"

Her casual armor set was replaced by attire with cheetah spots and few pieces of armor on it. The majority of it looked like a cheetah-print bikini with ears, elbow pads and knee pads. Its armored pieces were limited to her boots, which were more like her casual armor's boots. This armor wasn't meant for heavy combat, that was for certain! She lowered her body closer to the ground and suddenly took off, dust flying around her and 'small' sonic boom was heard.

 _SHIT!_ The males thought, _She's using her Flight Armor to find us?! That's a little over the top, and ironic!_ The armor's name wasn't what it could do, it was made before flight magic was created so it's abilities were focused around speed that would give off the illusion of flight. She flipped, hopped, skidded, and twirled around, up, under and through most of the traps Natsu had set up.

Natsu's heart began to pound heavily as he forewent the use of fiery hands and started to use his fire breath, _C'mon. C'mon! C'MON!_ The hole was now deep enough for him to fit in if he curled up and stayed still. It wasn't the prettiest thing in the world, but it'd have to do if Natsu valued his skin and manhood, which he did. Getting into the hole, he began to break the rocks he'd melted up into smaller ones and began to get under the makeshift sand, ultimately burying him for the time being.

And not a moment too soon as Erza dashed into the alleyway, right on top of Natsu's hiding spot no less, "I could've sworn I saw smoke from Natsu's breath...He was at least here earlier. The ground's still hot, like he was trying to burn the earth of make a lava pit, which I still need to get back at him for! I had obsidian shards in my armor for weeks!" She was out of the alleyway, leaving a perfectly hidden Natsu not three feet under the ground Erza'd stood on.

Erza was in the center of town again, looking into the fountain curiously when Gray had to release a small breath, "What have we..." She reached down into the fountain, having to sink her upper body down into the water to reach a head of raven hair, "Here!" "Owowowowowow! Don't pull on my hair so hard!" Erza smirked evilly as she pulled him out of the water by his hair. This left a very wet and shirtless Gray open for attack, an attack that used the butt of Erza's sword hilt, ultimately knocking him out. _One down, one to go, this is the easiest game we've ever played! Now where to find my_ favorite _fire-breather..._

Natsu had trained to hold his breath for years for this exact reason, well the reason varied depending on circumstance, but it finally paid off. He could hold his breath for about an hour, so the clock was ticking for him before he had to resurface. The only problem, he didn't know where she'd be at the moment he does, leaving him with a difficult choice: A; he risk it and get some air into his lungs, probably prevent himself from getting a health problem for not-getting-oxygen-into-his-lungs-when-he-needed-to. Or B; stay hidden and play it safe from certain castration, forcing his capabilities to hold his breath and probably have a health problem as he'd seen what happens to people who don't get enough or any air into their lungs...

 _I'll stay hidden a little after my time's up, and if she's there I'll just have to fight my way through her!_ And when his hour was up, he was able to stay under another twenty minutes before he had to breath so he wouldn't suffocate, and Erza wasn't there as his head surfaced. He sniffed the air quietly, making sure to stay quiet so he would stay alive, the wind was moving towards him and he could smell Erza across town. _Safe another hour! The sun's directly above me, so we've got some time. Eisenwald is probably coming here as we speak, since their beef is with the guilds and not civilians. Good for us and bad for them! Oh, shit, here she comes!_

True to his thoughts, as soon as he reburied his head, Erza passed the alleyway he was buried in. _Where is that Dragon Slayer?! I found Gray just fine, but I could never figure out where Natsu was because he would always challenge me out of the blue! But this side of him is darker, coherent, contemplative, scheming, and relentless...he won't be found until-_ if _-he wants to be found._

 **Dusk**

Erza had been looking for Natsu all day long, ever since he hit her out of the heat of the moment to dusk, and she couldn't find him. He was a sneaky bastard, that was for certain! It was when she began going around the town, calling out to him in defeat, but even then he didn't surface from wherever he was _holed_ up, "NATSU! WHEREVER YOU ARE, I GIVE UP! YOU CAN COME OUT NOW!" Gray, Lucy, Happy and a few of the Guild Masters began to help her look for him.

The sun had set when the sounds of an entire guild of mages could be heard outside the town, "COME OUT, GUILD MASTERS, AND THE TOWN WILL NOT BE HARMED! PREPARE TO FACE JUSTICE!" Lucky for those defending the town, all the civilians were gone and Natsu had taken the liberty to dig under most of it, making a series of traps when _everyone looking for him_ wasn't able to see. He was underneath his original hiding spot, snickering hysterically at the fact that he'd be taking out several enemy mages. He had sensitive but sturdy magical string with him and had used it accordingly, like a tarantula's nest, whenever one of the strings of 'web' were disturbed he would follow it to the point of origin and WHAM! Lights out!

The feeling of a string being shaken directed his attention to a spot he chose near the entrance to the village, a long way by crawl, but he'd figured out that he could use his fire in that tunnel because it went underneath houses and not streets. He sent a good portion of his flames to his feet and was sent rocketing to the spot of the disturbance. A man sunk just as he got there, making him punch him in the throat and repair the hole quickly, quicker than any of his buddies would have been able to see.

All of his sinkholes were set in places he knew his friends wouldn't be, knowing them well enough to know where they'd gravitate to. He looked to his hostage, and knew that Eisenwald didn't spare their prisoners or even cared about who they killed, so he gave this man the same treatment. He took a breath, small because he needed to conserve all the oxygen he could, and burnt the man fast enough that he didn't wake up. There was only a pile of ash left in his place, when another string was disturbed, getting him to rocket to it as well, this one wasn't far from his first spot.

The fat man he found stuck in his hole had gotten trapped upside down, and since he wasn't being pulled out, it was clear that Natsu was taking out scouts, "'Come into my parlor', said the spider to the fly..." Natsu made his eyes glow, scaring the man into struggling and calling out to anyone for safety, before Natsu covered his mouth and punched his nose in a way that killed him. Now having an airway filled, he pulled the fat man down, repaired the hole and burnt him to ash as well.

 _I'm awesome, aren't I?! And with the lack of commotion, I'd say that the others don't even know what's going on! HAHAHAHA! This is too good to pass up, I'm going to take out most of the enemy and no one's going to know what the fuck's going on! GENIUS!_ Another string began to move around like crazy, meaning he had more than one victim to dispose of...this string lead to somewhere closer to his friends than was forgivable!

He punched up from the ground, hitting a guy in the balls hard enough to destroy them and then he snapped his neck in a way that it was muffled before breaking the other two's skulls in. He looked down and saw another string moving, so he dragged the bodies into the hole. When they were in and the scene was decent at a sideways glance, he reclosed the hole and burnt the bodies. He then crawled to the other hole, where he got onto his upper back and pointed his legs up in a way that would hit them right up the ass.

When he felt their feet touch where his were under, he kicked with as much force as he could muster, surprising his victim who was about to scream, had Natsu not grabbed his soon-to-be victim's legs while they descended in the air, wrapped his legs around the man's throat and landed in the hole with the man's neck broken. The opening now fixed, the body was burnt and a piece of chicken was found in his hand, _Thank you very much, Dead Guy! Your contribution shall not be in vain, nor will it ever be forgotten...I'm a cruel bastard! Jesus, what would she think of me now?_

Before he could get depressant, he finished the half-eaten piece of chicken and went to another victim's location. Each mage he killed was preparing an attack, and since the town was so quiet, the rest of the guild was probably thinking their scouts were checking out around the too quiet town. He then heard Happy talking to Lucy not far from one of his kill spots, _Oh, goddamnit! Can't you two go chitchat somewhere else?! I've got people to kill here!_ Those thoughts would never have the chance to be voiced because right above Natsu's head was an enemy mage, who had the bad luck to place her feet on Natsu's kill spot.

The words were garbled, but the energy released was a telltale sign that an attack was about to be unleashed. So, taking matters into his already full claw-like hands, he opened up the whole and yanked the woman into the ground after filling up the hole again. The whole time that he did this, Lucy was shielding Happy, who's eyes were closed and his ears covered to prevent his innocent ears to hear the sonic attack spell. When it didn't come, Lucy and Happy looked to the ground where stones were seemingly replacing and melting themselves back together.

The woman Natsu caught wasn't that old, no older than him, but when she got down to the tunnel she made a magic circle before her neck was broken. _Sorry, kid, but I'm not letting you or your guild hurt my guild-my family-and especially not my son!_ Natsu was crawling and rocketing around the town, unseen and unknown by everyone including his friends.

It kept going like this for about thirty minutes before all of the strings began to shake violently, indicating that the masses of Eisenwald said, 'Screw it!', and ran into the town. When Natsu was about to rocket to the center of town, his stomach growled loudly, _Oooohhh, no..._ His stomach began to groan and churn more, indicating that his brick was done digesting, and since he'd been moving nonstop since they got off the train...

"Fire Dragon's Explosive... **GAS!** " Natsu let loose his stomach's unhealthy gas, he then did the stupid thing, he lit it by clicking his incisors together like Igneel taught him when he started eating flint, small doses of steel, and platinum as a starting area for his fire breathing. (Watch Animal Planet's 'The Last Dragons: A Fantasy Made Real', it'll make more sense if ye do) The crushed minerals that were in his mouth were used to light up the gas so he could breath fire before he started using it as a magical attack, it was what firebreathing dragons did in nature and it worked for humans to a lesser degree.

The tunnels were set alight, and he was sent rocketing into the air headfirst. The holes he'd made were now pillars of flames that spread to several Eisenwald mages in close proximity. His kill spots were spread around the edges of the town so he could kill as many mages as possible without attracting attention to himself. Only one kill spot was near the middle of town, and that was the original. In total he made six, which is an achievement in and of itself, seeing as he had to take breathers in his original spot each time he dug a tunnel.

(Cue: Simple Plan-Last One Standing)He looked to the ground and screamed in excitement, "WOOOHHHOOO! YOLO!" He sent flames towards his feet and rocketed through the rest of Eisenwald's massing charge, taking with him several mages who were then burned to a crisp. Natsu wsa soon after joined by Erza, now wearing her Heaven's Wheel Armor, "Where the Hell were you?!"

A random mage tried to jump on Natsu, and knocked him into the Titania,"Mgh! Sight seeing-killing people-what else?! Jesus, you'd think a guy'd get some credit for saving you ungrateful **humans the trouble of killing enemies!** " Erza sent twenty swords flying into random mages, while her four silver wings of metal feather-like plates flapped behind her. A weapon using mage sent a spear aimed for Erza's exposed abdomen when a certain Ice-Make Mage sent a grappling hook onto it, taking to him and allowing him to impale several of his opponents and causing drops of blood to decorate his shirtless torso.

A humanoid bull and a pink haired maid were suddenly everywhere, burying people in holes and severing them. A man with lobster-like qualities was cutting people's hair and weaponry at a second's notice. A giant's hand landed upon several unlucky mages, while a whip went around a few mages who were then knocked out. That's when a single note was heard through he air, making everyone hit the ground in pain, when it was done and a gigantic creature of wood and darkness remained on top of what was once Clover Town.

" **Motherfucker! That's Lullaby's true form?!** " Makarov came up behind a tensed Natsu, "That's its true form, a form of pure evil! Burn it to the ground!" Natsu smirked like a predator, " **WITH PLEASURE! FIRE DRAGON'S ROAR! rrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHHH!** " "Requip!" Erza's Heavenly Wheel Armor changed to a more Hellish set of armor, "Fire Empress Armor!" Gray slammed his hands together on the ground, getting a pillar to rise from the ground, reaching about to the giganitc creature's kneecap, where the three began their attack.

Natsu's eyes turned blood red, black fire began to circle him, his skin started to grow scales. Erza focused all her magic power into each strike. While Gray was shooting into the creature, using the explosive spells he'd been practicing in his freetime. The creature raised its head to the sky as a purple magic circle appeared in its mouth, when it lunged its head towards some mountains and let loose a blast that sent debris hitting most of Eisenwald's mages, Erigor included.

Natsu saw the destruction it did, having been raised in a forest made the mountain's destruction very powerful in making him much more angry. He jetted up to its face and began to roar blast after blast of fire into its mouth, burning holes into its throat. He then roared to the heavens and dove into its throat, where he traveled down and began to destroy it from the inside out. After all, wood burns better than stone...

(Uncue music)After about the nine hundredth strike landed from both sides of it, inside and out, it began to burn. The creature burnt until it was nothing but the three-eyed-skull attached to a flute. Natsu held it in his hands, now calmed enough to think properly, when he brought its shaft to his teeth and bit down hard into the wood. Cracks were forming along its length, and then Natsu bit it hard enough to dent iron, breaking it and leaving pieces in his mouth. These pieces were then incinerated when he inhaled and made to roar, before he closed his mouth, destroying the pieces in his mouth.

" **We're do** ne here, carry on with your meeting, we'll be heading off..." Natsu started walking away, when he fell from exhaustion into Lucy's arms, "He's not so bad! He's just...hot-headed and rough around the edges." Those gathered facefaulted and sweatdropped at her statement, while in a large castle, a head of blue hair turned to reveal a kind and superior smile of perfect teeth...

 **XXXXXXXX**

That's a wrap ladies, gents and other! Sorry if the fight scenes were too short for ye guys and gals, I'm not good with long and drawn out fights. Natsu's also against fighting, and when he does fight, it's quick and straight forward. He demonstrated this in his quickness to kill those who made the strings flip out. If Natsu seemed a little too smart in this one, it's because he's able to reason better than he could in canon. Lisanna's his voice of reason, but since she's gone...he's had to learn to reason on his own. His mistaking Erza for Lisanna makes a whole lot more sense when ye think about it, 'cause I know someone out there's gonna comment on it and I want to clear it up. Erza's armors have their own, individual scents. And the Black Wing Armor reminds him of Lisanna in the following ways: it has animal-like qualities, it's dangerous, it can fly, it's gorgeous to look at, and it has a scent similar to Lisanna's. Lisanna's dangerous when she's pissed 'cause she can use her Animal Take-Overs, she's attractive, she can fly using some of her Take-Overs and the rest is self-explanatory.

Next chapter: friends are made, enemies are lost and found, secrets are learned, destruction takes place, lines become easier to cross and harder to see...As always: R&R, no flamin' my ass, constructive criticism, and SEE YE-GOOD NIGHT!


	5. Things change,people grow,unveiled tales

Whaz up ladies, gents and other! I'm gonna make things a lot more hectic. Spoiler alert: Natsu meets the Magic Council, and I add in my own personal twist to the Magic Council's reaction to him. This chapter, in my own opinion, isn't great. You've been warned. I don't own jackshit for Fairy Tail.

 _Thoughts or emphasis_

'Paraphrasing'

"Normal speech"

" **Draconic speech** "

 **XXXXXXXXXXX**

Natsu was in her arms, he in hers. They were flying, like the few time his eyes closed and he didn't feel sick to look at his own reflection. His hands were at her waist, fire keeping him aloft. Her arms were around his neck, keeping him close as Happy beat his small, angelic wings quickly. Her eyes made the ocean and sky weep jealously, her hair would make many think of snow. But Natsu felt a heat inside him around her that reminded him of how white-hot the pain of quicksilver felt, but this pain...he'd always come back to. Her hair was snowy white, but also quicksilver platinum, like the metal he used to eat to light his breath, the sweet taste of the metal was her lips but better than any aphrodisiac.

Her figure was thin, but not unhealthy, with just a bit of muscle around her limbs to make her a wonderful opponent in combat...and the bedroom. Her skin was pale and soft, it felt as though a single touch of his calloused hands would break her perfect face whenever he touched her cheek. Her legs went on forever, her hands were delicate and smooth yet strong and tough. Getting lost in her eyes was too easy to do, so he had to avoid looking her in the eye more often than not. Her body temperature was lower than the average human being, lower than Gray's if he had to compare the two of them.

She giggled in her soft voice he could never hear enough of, "What's so funny?" Her giggles continued, the knowledge they were five stories above the ground had slipped their minds, "You, silly! You're doing it again."

Natsu decided to play dumber than he really was, he had an idea of what she meant but just to be sure, "Doing what?" Her giggles sounded like they came from the voice of an angel, "You're staring again. I know you're not as stupid as you act, just forgetful and easily..." She walked her index and middle finger up the vertebrae of his neck, making him shudder excitedly, "Easily _excitable_!"

He growled to her in the way that got her right between the legs, " **Keep doing what you're doing...if yee keep it up, than though shall know the dragon's fiery wrath. On this most dreaded path does thy feet tread, while at their feet lay bones of the dead. Beware, yee traveler, if this persist this dangerous game...than it is yee, I shall claim!** "

And that was the last straw, she grabbed him by the collar and smashed her lips to his, rubbing her thighs together with anticipation to reach the ground for some proper 'mating' after they finished the draconic version of a marriage. Happy then said a tired, "I did it, Lismama. Paatsu. I sleep now...phew!" They began to fall, embracing one another as Happy took a free fall beside them, their heads pointed towards the ground.

When it seemed as if they would become a splatter on the ground, Happy caught the waist of his mother while his father sent fire to his sandals and breathed out a stream of flames, when a field of ice spikes appeared.

The scene changed to Natsu saying good bye, the Strauss siblings had taken a job and had decided that Natsu had had enough 'bonding time' with their baby sister. "I wish I could come with you, but your sister's made it abundantly clear that if I do, I'm going to be short a piece..."

Her giggling at his pout made him smile as she pecked him on the lips and whispered in his ear, "We'll have to make sure it happens before she gets a chance to try then, now won't we?" His nostrils flared excitedly, his eyes seemed to be hyper focused and his jaw tensed, resisting the urge to take her where she stood.

He was contemplating doing it, when a fist hit him in the head, showing a punk Gothic Mirajane glaring at him. She grinned menacingly at the Dragon Slayer, sending shivers up his spine, and not the kind he liked, "I'll be taking you, now. You can fuck when we get back! You," She motioned for Natsu to come to her, and he did, although hesitantly.

Mirajane grabbed him by the ear and made sure he heard her, "Stay put or your sausage and eggs, are going to make breakfast!" "Okay, let's go!" Mirajane was then being pulled away fro. Natsu by her younger siblings, her glare still set on the pyrovore.

He'd never see his mate since that day, and he'd regret listening to his better judgement everyday.

 **Natsu and Happy's house, an hour before dawn**

Natsu awoke with a gasp, this made it the eleventh time he'd tried to sleep peacefully that night, with no success on any of the medications or spells he used to rest himself. Each night was a replay of the same old scenes, the same old reminders, the same old heartbreaks. And each time, he began to lose hope of ever finding his beloved mate.

"Aahh, Paatsu, what are you doing up?" Happy's meak, tired voice carried over from his cat tree, "Can't stop thinking about her, Happy. I can't get her out of my head...go back to sleep. It'll be dawn soon and we need all the strength we can muster." "Aye..." The soft snores of Happy and the bubbles being blown from his nose made Natsu smile warmly at the Exceed he raised as his son for the past six years.

Six years, had it really been that long? It felt longer ever since she died-disappeared! He was starting to believe everybody when they said she was gone. They'd looked all over Fiore and back, and still no sign of her. It was as if, she had been swept away from this world. (Hint hint)

He stepped out the front door into the dark outside, where the moon was set and the sun had yet to rise. It was times like these, he used to think, where the world was on the edge of chaos and perfection. But he'd learned long ago that the world was perfect in a different way, in the way people chose to make it.

The fire pit he'd dug out once was still there, and the wood he had leftover from the occasional fires were there too. Grabbing some logs, he set up a small fire and got out some fish from the nearby lake. With the fire blazing and the fish cooking, he found he couldn't stop hating himself. Look at what he'd become and done, all for the sake of finding her. Yet he knew she'd be ashamed to see what he'd become, especially the day he'd found out about her 'death'.

The fire cracked loudly, reminding him that he had fish to cook for his boy, when he heard sniffing coming from the house, "Fish!" Natsu chuckled lovingly as he saw Happy scamper over to the fire to take a fish and he began to eat it with a passion. The fire in Happy's eyes as he ate the fish was a fire not even the mighty Igneel would try to eat, for that fire was blazing hotter than the sun itself at the moment.

"You know you shouldn't eat like that, you'll make a mess." Happy ignored him and kept eating ravenously, making Natsu shake his head amusedly as he grabbed a cloth he kept with him and wiped the scraps off Happy's cheeks, getting the feline to hiss half-assedly in protest. "Oh, stop it! You know we have to stay in peak condition for when we find her, so stop your griping!" He said it playfully, making the cat beam bright enough to get Natsu's eyes closed, "Aye!" "Yeah, 'aye', but can you turn off the lights?"

"That's not me, that's the sun!" When Natsu looked, the sun had started rising, "...Oh." Happy started laughing like a crazy person-eh, cat-when he started choking, "Oh, Shit!" Natsu reacted like he did with everything in his younger years, he freaked out for a second(a literal second in this case) and he then patted Happy on the back before the choking stopped.

"Jesus, don't do that to me!" Happy's left ear twitched in irritation as he glared unheatedly at his father, "Then don't make me laugh, Paatsu!" natsu and Happy glared at each other for a second before they began chuckling softly, "We've gotta find her, or we're never going to get very far as mages...Hahaha! Imagine what she'd say to how you act around strangers, or around that kid, Lucy. Hehehe! That'd be funny..." With Happy eating all of his fish, Natsu ate the fire, filling his stomach. Natsu, now full, got up and went back into the house to get on some clothes besides his 'sleeping jeans' and shirtless chest. Happy just ate _happi_ ly, he'd known his dad had taken a page out of Gray's book when it came to clothes since he was little. (Or littler.*Another scratch is made on my face by the same feminine, frozen claw* GODDAMNIT, THAT HURTS! ARE YOU-MMPH!*She covers my mouth with frozen claws and I smile scaredly*)

Natsu came out of the house in his casual clothing, his muffler was wrapped tightly around his neck as always, and his face displayed his exhaustion, "Let's go, Happy." "Aye." Happy jumped onto Natsu's shoulder and looked at him with a hopeful smile, "If you beat Miss Erza, maybe we can follow another lead! I know we'll find her soon, I can feel it in my fur and in my fish..." Happy's face took on a commanding and firm face, trying to emphasize the point, making Natsu chuckle amusedly.

"We'll see, pal. I first have to beat Erza, and then we'll check for any leads, deal?" "Aye! I can't wait to find her, this game of Hide'N'Seek isn't fun..." Happy pouted dramatically, trying to cheer up his 'old man'. Natsu just shook his head at his little boy's antics, "If this is a game of Hide'N'Seek, we're going to be hiding next but we'll be hidden in plain sight and never leave her if we can help it. Okay with you?" Happy nodded at the idea of his mama being the seeker while he and his dad were hiding in her shadow or in plain sight.

One thing was for sure, the day was going to start out in the best way possible: Interestingly!

 **The guild**

Natsu and Happy were right outside the door, but they could smell everyone who'd gotten there already. The smell of alcohol and the harder to catch scent of travelling was the signature of Cana, Natsu had already figured out who her father was and Happy had figured it out as well; the smell of blood and dwindling fires was Mirajane's demonic scent as even though her magic was dormant, it was always a part of her; sweat and wild beasts was the telltale scent of Elfman and his obsession with masculinity, which was really just a front to deter threats from getting close to his remaining sister; Macao and Romeo were there as well, the smell of flares they exuded was a scent that Natsu once mistook for chemical fire-starters; Wakaba Mine's smokey scent caused Natsu as a kid to try and eat the man with a pompadour-like hair style; Makarov's scent was of coffee and healthy bones, a testament to his strength as a guild master and to his love for coffee in the morning. The one scent that stood out the most was the smell that made Natsu and Happy think of static electricity, this scent told them that Laxus was there this morning.

The rest of the scents Natsu and Happy caught weren't familiar ones, so they decided to give whoever was in there a show. Natsu took in a deep breath, before he thought better of it and decided to just eat a brick to confuse people who didn't know him. It was too early in the morning to be destroying people or things. When he opened the door, the people who were recognized by scent were talking at the bar. About what, neither of them really cared, they were just waiting for Erza to get there so they could get the fight underway.

He was crunching and crushing the brick as he entered the building, the eyes of those gathered were surprised that Natsu and Happy were there so early in the morning. His head was pointed upwards as he broke the brick down in his jaws, he and Happy had seen what normal bricks did to his stomach so they came up with an alternative. The two of them had been gathering the old minerals Natsu used to eat, in their free time and had found that making bricks out of them was easier than they thought. The bricks were made of mineral iron, carbon, platinum, and the minerals that made flint.

Happy noticed the uncomfortable silence and filled it, "Why's it so quiet, Master Gramps?" And everyone but Natsu facefaulted. The playful, innocent little Happy had done an impossible feat: He said something rude and polite, all at once. "We're discussing," Makarov groaned as he got up, "the rules for Natsu and Erza's upcoming fight. Natsu," The Dragon Slayer's attention received, he continued. "Since none of us know how strong you are, I'm going to have to ask you to hold back on Erza. It took Mystogan, Mirajane, Laxus and I three straight days to restrain you when..." (He's not S-Class, that's a lot of time for a mage below S-Class to cause for a Guild Master and three S-Class mages)

Natsu growled in warning at the guild master. Everyone understood his reasons, but the ends don't justify the means, "Don't growl at me, Natsu. There's no proof that you're right about her being alive. The only thing we've to go on is your soul separating from your body at random times. For all we know, your soul might be trying to pass on! So don't growl at me." Natsu looked up to the ceiling with closed eyes, "Sorry. I'm tired, too many sleepless nights..."

Makarov's eyes softened now, "I understand, my boy. But you can't let your emotions or exhaustion cloud your judgement, what would she think of you if she saw you in this state?" Natsu's eyes opened as he looked at the guild master, his eyes empty but alive, "She'd be disappointed and blame herself for this...I'll keep the damage to a minimum and I'll make sure the fights short, I won't make any promises on Erza's behalf but I'll behave..."

Natsu's sigh of resignation made a few of those gathered bite their tongues to stop themselves from incurring the wrath of the Fire Dragon Slayer. Laxus and Mirajane hadn't been that great to him in their younger years, but they both had a bit of a soft spot for the prank-pulling knucklehead. Cana had always envied Natsu's determination and familiarity with her father, Gildarts, so she felt like he was her little brother in a way. Romeo had always looked up to Natsu ever since he'd met him during a visit to the guild, so this negative attitude showed him that even the greats take falls at some point. Wakaba and Macao were fathers and husbands both, so they had at least one thing to compare with Natsu, but they had both their child _and_ wife so they couldn't even begin to understand his pain.

Elfman felt responsible for Natsu's pain: If he hadn't been so faithful in the rumors he'd heard of The Beast and hadn't overestimated its intelligence, Lisanna wouldn't have died. Natsu had gone nuts when he found out about her death, it took those three days for Laxus and Mystogan to even catch him off guard. During his rampage, Natsu had displayed a great deal of combat knowledge that he didn't remember learning and his lessons with Gildarts had unfortunately been paying off, as Natsu had dodged most attacks and found the weaknesses to the magics they used. Mirajane had used the last of her magical energy to help out, but her curses were weaker since she lacked the confidence or emotions strong enough to power them. Makarov had used his simpler spells, the Titan spell was the wrong choice for Natsu as he had short-term flying capabilities and animal instincts.

Those three days were dark, for the entire guild and those close to the brokenhearted Natsu. His roars had echoed throughout Magnolia for weeks, when the battling had only taken days. When Natsu's rampage ended, the guild didn't see him for months at a time and when he was seen outside of his house, it was for a job or a lead and he never wanted to talk. Master Dreyar had never truly known his son, Ivan's, mother. He had been young and foolish, and a few too many drinks made one thing lead to another. He was now making sure that Laxus didn't repeat his mistakes.

But seeing one of the people he considered his grandchildren suffer like this was making his life even harder than it had to be. Natsu just sat there, his eyes closed and his face calm, letting everyone know that he was sleeping peacefully for once. Laxus, being the only other Dragon Slayer the guild had, voiced his opinion, "He's not entirely wrong. But he's not really right, either. She's alive, in a sense, but his soul can't be at peace until he lets her go. This could take a while!"

Everyone looked to the second floor, where Laxus stood at the railing, "What do you mean, Laxus?" The spiky, blonde-haired man looked to his grandfather, "When a Dragon Slayer marks their mate, they don't just leave a piece of their soul in their mate...they make a connection deeper than words. They would be able to feel each other's emotions, no matter the distance. So he's feeling everything she did in his dreams, replaying her last moments through her eyes and his reaction to it. He's probably just now getting to her better memories..."

They looked to him in surprise, "And how do you know this, Laxus? Do you have a secret mate?" Mirajane asked this in a way that sounded suspicious and gossip-searching, making Laxus laugh throatily, "Like Hell I've got a mate! I won't be doing that _anytime soon_! I know because I've a Dragon Lacrima implanted in me,which allows me to have a basic understanding of how Dragon Slayers work. In a sense, Dragon Slayers aren't entirely human, and I'm a human Dragon Slayer..."

Mirajane then pouted at these words, finding nothing interesting to talk about now. The others who were listening found these words to be interesting, "So you're telling us that unless Natsu can get passed these memories and let go of his mate, he'll be like this for the rest of his life?!" The question came from Lucy, who'd just came through the door with Gray, "That pretty much sums it up, girly. He's going to be a complete and utter dick forever. Unless he can get over his mate, we're stuck with him the way he is!"

"You say that like you care..." Erza's voice came from the back of the building, in the library, as she walked out with a book in hand. "I don't care about his social life, I do care about the continuation of Dragon Slayer Magic. I don't have to like him, Hell, I could hate him for all I care and I'd still act the way I am right now. We're, in a sense, a dying breed. And I for one don't want my signature type of magic to go extinct! I _know_ for certain, he doesn't! So we have to watch out for each other at points, that's why I tolerate his depression."

Lucy was staring at the man with a lightning bolt scar curiously, "What?" "I'm still unclear on how Dragon Slayer Magic works. Doesn't it just give its user, or users, dragon-like abilities and resistant to a respective element?" The sound of hysterical laughter escaped Laxus's throat, making everyone glare at him, "HAHAHA! If that were true-Hahaha-then Natsu wouldn't be hoarding anything or being so damn loyal. Hahaha, Dragon Slayers- _true_ Dragon Slayers-are raised by dragons and pick up qualities from them. Be it knowledge, physical traits, behavioral patterns, personality quirks, etc. are all things that Dragon Slayers of the First and I think Third Generation acquire from their youth. I'm from the Second Generation, that means I wasn't raised by a dragon and that also means, I don't have these aforementioned qualities. I have personality quirks from my heritage, my closet-perverted grandfather,"

Makarov said an indignant, "Shut up, brat!" "And my bastard father; love you too, Gramps! My physical traits come from lots of training and the energy from the Dragon Lacrima. My behavioral patterns come from my family as well, clo-" "SHE GETS IT! NOW, SHUT UP, BRAT!" Laxus and the rest of the guild, an exhausted Natsu included, looked to the Guild Master with expectant eyes. Loke, Levy, Jet, Droy, and a few other guild members came in on this conversation.

Levy, being the curious girl she is, asked, "What's going on and what's with all the yelling?" The innocent question came from behind Natsu, who was still waking up, so he freaked out, "AAAHHH!" "AAAHHH!" Their screams made people cover their ears, "WHERE THE FUCK DID YOU COME FROM?!" "WHY ARE YOU YELLING?!" Natsu took a few breathes, holding over his heart to try and calm his raging heartbeat, "...Touche! You snuck up on me, right when I'm waking up, how else am _I_ going to react?!"

Levy took a few breathers herself, her unintentional scaring of Natsu scared her, "I came in through the front door, how else?! And why were you sleeping in the guild?" Natsu, now calm enough to not freak out, said tiredly, "I woke up early, more nightmares. Came here to wait for Erza, and since I smell her, I'd say let's get started." Erza closed the book with a loud thud and nodded her consent.

Natsu got up, made sure Happy got off his shoulder, and stepped out of the guild with a feeling of confidence that he exuded easily. When he passed Loke, he stopped and turned to him, "...what are you..." His whispered question was heard by only Loke as he returned Natsu's serious face, "...like you...dying..." Natsu's slitted eyes widened slightly, not enough to be noticed by those who walked out of the guild to prepare for the fight, at the news.

"...I won't let that happen, Loke...if that's your real name..." Loke and Natsu stopped staring sternly at each other as they both walked out the door, _It's too late, Natsu, my time's almost here. Good intentions, but no amount of those to change my fate..._ Natsu looked forward and narrowed his reptilian eyes, the light reflect off of his eyes like an animal's eyes and gave them an unearthly look.

When they exited the guild and split ways, Natsu went to the center of the crowd to see Erza in her Fire Empress Armor. The armor had the smell of a volcano on it, making Natsu drool lava out of hunger and desire. This armor's greaves and gauntlets resembled dragon's claws, more than likely a fire dragon's claws. The breastplate covered her sizable bust, stomach and groin area. Her legs and shoulders were left perfectly open, revealing her blue Fairy Tail stamp on her left shoulder. The armor had orange areas on the breastplate, the one at the waist resembled a belt while the one around her chest had a heart-like shape underneath. The gauntlets had claw-like protrusions at the knuckles, her sword was red with an orange area around the hilt. On her back were two decorative, dragon-like wings. Completing the 'sensual, fiery-dragoness' look were two horn like hairclips that kept her hair in long, high pigtails.

(Cue: RED-Let It Burn)" **Erza** ," Natsu said in a barely audible growl, " **you're being cruel right now, you know that?! Say it, Gramps! I'd like to not scar anyone's minds, or bodies...** " Master Makarov looked to Natsu, who's body was bent at the knees, elbows, and back, ready to pounce with wild eyes. He nodded immediately, "Ready? FIGHT!" Natsu charged at Erza, as Laxus groaned out in mild pain, "C'mon, Erza, at least give him a chance and don't tease he and **I like that...** "

Ignoring him, she swung her sword at Natsu, who ducked under it and punched her stomach. Erza, able to move more fluidly in this armor, leaped away from him and sent a wave of fire at him. The wave of fire went at Natsu, who's wild eyes only stared at it in curiosity, when he opened his mouth and ate it in one go, " **Thanks fOR THE SNACK!** " He rocketed up at her, aiming to headbutt her with fire propelling him upwards. No one expected him to have eaten it that quickly, usually it would take him a second or two but he got it in one gulp. The shock he caused gave him the opening to hit Erza in the stomach, full throttle in his flight.

The blow knocked the wind out of Erza, giving him enough time to strike her into the ground with innumerable punches and kicks, " **Keep teasing the fire in me...anD YOU'RE GOING TO GET BURNED!** " Natsu's arms and legs started to grow scales, while the skin under his eyes began to toughen up and took on a scale-like pattern, " **DRAGON FORCE! I've been eating those bricks for weeks now, Happy and I made 'em ourselves with magic and a few choice minerals. So it meets the requirements needed for a First Generation Dragon Slayer to use this powerful gift! Now, STAY DOWN!** "

Natsu landed on a still stunned Erza, she hadn't had a chance to beat him with how much anger was flowing through him and how much he'd hidden from the guild. His punches were centered around her torso, he was aggressive but he wasn't going to murder one of his oldest friends, and each blow left her breathless. Nobody could've stopped him, until the voice of a Messenger was heard, "STOP THIS FIGHT AT ONCE!"

(Uncue music)Natsu stopped midpunch and turned his wild eyes to an amphibian-looking humanoid figure. He was relatively short, his head was rounded and he had spots on the sides of his head and his hands. His clothes weren't plain, but they weren't extravagant. A brown bag with a strap running over to his right shoulder. The anthropomorphous amphibian looked perturbed at the scene he came upon.

" **And you'd be from the Magic Council!** " The creature nodded and looked to him sternly, "Erza Scarlet, on account of property damage and eleven other charges from the Eisenwald Terrorism Incident, I hereby place you under arrest!" Erza was unconscious from the beating Natsu had given her with his surprising choices of fighting. She'd been prepared for a firefight, not a brawl and had been taken completely off-guard, leaving her open to several attacks she'd never have let get by had she been able to expect something more from this darker Natsu than the pranksterous loudmouth she'd known as a child.

Natsu patted Erza on the cheek with a warm smile, " **Yeah, she's not waking up any time soon. You're going to have to wait for her to heal!** " He turned to the talking frog-like being with a cheeky smile, "Then let her heal in the custody of the Magic Council!" Foregoing the nice act, Natsu looked the creature in the eye with a stern face, " **If you want a _Fairy Tail mage_ to come with you, healed or not, in _Fairy Tail territory_! You're going to have another thing coming, in other wor-actually! Levy, would you be a dear and explain to this _poor_ creature the philosophy we've got here?** "

He said the last few words with a smile that was barely holding back laughter, "In other words you might recognize: Man, fuck the police!" Her blatant disregard for the authority caught several people off guard, making them hit their faces to the ground. (Butterfly Effect: One change in the timestream, and ye get a whole new set up. In this story, several of Natsu's friends are gonna be a little different. Case in point: Levy's gonna be a bit more vulgar in her language, Erza's bein' 'gentler', and Happy's bein' a bit more child-like)

The anthropomorphic creature before them glared at the teenager, about to speak, when Natsu's draconic voice interrupted, " **This is our territory, and you're interfering with guild affairs...isn't the Magic Council to avoid doing _just_ that?! Let Erza heal, and then you might get the chance to have her, it's up to her whether you're able to take her or not...** " Natsu was glaring at the humanoid amphibian, daring him to start something with his dark eyes, "...Fine! Let her heal and when she's fully healed, she'll be in the custody of the Magic Council, deal?!" This creature was clearly frustrated that a lowly mage was denying its masters, amusing Natsu silently to no end.

The creature left to report to its masters, grumbling irritably. Natsu reverted to normal, gritting his teeth in pain of scales returning into his skin and his bones thinning back to normal, "God damn it, that hurts like a sonuvabitch!" Erza's armor returned to normal and Natsu carried her fireman style into the infirmary, where he placed her in a bed, "You can wake up now, I know you well enough to know that you're not that weak!"

She didn't even twitch at his comment of being weak, making a tickmark appear on his face, "Wake up!" He shook the bed violently, making her open her eyes suddenly, "Knock it off!" She punched him once and he was in the ground, "...damn it, Erza..." She glared at him and he glared at her, "I know you understand the basics of transformation magic, I need to know how to do it. If you go, we both know that that Jellal Fernandes-guy you hate so much will be there and with the way you described him, he'll try to start something! So, tell me what I need to know so I can go in your place, I'll keep a low profile while I'm there...How'd you know that I was going to do the things I would?"

"I didn't, and I still don't understand how you were able to catch me off guard like that!" Erza stared at Natsu in surprise as he stood up with his arms crossed over his chest, determination in his slitted eyes. She couldn't stop staring for a moment, still trying to figure out when the fun-loving idiot boy became this powerful and dangerous mage, "...Why should _you_ go in my place?! You're the leas-?!" Natsu grabbed her gauntlet and removed it from her hand, "Hey!" "Shut up and listen instead of being listened too!"

He held it in his hand and balled his hand holding the gauntlet into a fist, bending the metal until it was crumpled up, "I'm not that strong, I'm right now repressing Dragon Force! I can keep it repressed in a transformation, so I'll be able to pass as you while you're here recuperating and taking my place in the shot glass we _know_ the Demon's got prepared for a situation like this. I'm no genius, I'm not as strong as you on my own, and with how much you resent that guy, we both know how you'll get in close proximity to him...I'm not asking you much, I'm only asking you to do _yourself_ a favor!"

Natsu's eyes were a stern glare into Erza's as she tried to find a reason that he shouldn't continue with this idiotic plan. "..." "If you want to tell me that I can't act like you, then our friendship really meant nothing to you." Her eyes widened as he glared at her, "I've known you most of my _life_ , I'm _pretty damn sure_ I can imitate you long enough to keep you out of the fire! I'm a fast learner when the subject interests me, and this one is taking _all of my concentration_ at the moment! So, if you value your safety amongst the higher ups and our guild's survival, _at all_ teach me what you know so that I can take your place long enough to stay out of the fires they breath..."

Natsu's determination was clear as he said these things, repairing the gauntlet he'd bent with his fire breath and his own arm, "...It's gonna be a bit bigger than before, but I fixed it to the best of my abilities." The gauntlet was good as new, his breath had heated it up enough for him to bend the back by putting his arm in it, "H-How'd you know about all these things?! You never took interest in what I said, or what other people said unless it was Gildarts! Since when are you so smart?!" Her voice was raised when Natsu growled at her to be quiet, as most of the guild still thought she was knocked out.

"I'm not smart, I'm just using reason better than I used to. Ever since she disappeared, I've had to reason on my own. She was my voice of reason, take that away...what else could I've done?" His rhetorical question was answered quickly, "Let my 'curse' loose on the world? Look, Erza, I'm trying to save you from your grief by taking your place. Have you no sense of self preservation?! If you go there, you're subjecting yourself to the pain of your childhood, so help me help you."

Erza's eyes never left Natsu as he explained to her his reasons to go and hers to not go, each one was better and more compelling, "Fine! You win, I'll teach you what I can. But you're stuck from there, I can only teach you the first stage of transformation magic..." Natsu sighed in relief, "Oh, skin my scales, thank you! I was running out of reasons..." Erza then began to tell him what she could of transformation magic.

 **Next day, Erza's** **imprisonment**

Erza lay in bed at the moment, her body fully healed, while Natsu stood against a wall with his arms crossed and his eyes closed. The door opened and revealed the Messenger, "Is she ready for custody, now?!" Natsu opened his eyes slowly to look the Messenger in the, and he glared at him as he said, "Yes. She's fine, now if you're going to take her to prison...I'd suggest you go now, before we decide against it!" The threat was clear and the power this mage gave off was equal, if not stronger, than Erza's. _I'll have to let the masters know of this one!_

Erza got up and looked to the Messenger with a blank stare, "I believe you need to take me to the Magic Council?" The Messenger nodded, not even concerned about the fiery Fairy Tail mage standing guard over his guildmate, "Yes. Come with me, your friend there is a real troublesome one!" Erza glared at Natsu, who looked undeterred from glaring at the Messenger, "Yes...He is!" Natsu just glared at Erza in retaliation. The tips for transformation magic had all been duds, as he'd found out through trial and error.

Erza stepped into the Messenger's magic circle, and was teleported to the Magic Coucil's Fiore Branch. There was plenty of commotion going on concerning the events having taken place the other day in Clover Field. There were men and women equal, running to and from everywhere to make sure that all the damages were paid for and that all those responsible would feel the punishment.

As Erza was led to the Council Room, the one person she hated more than ever, was right there waiting for her. "Nice to see you again, Erza. Why the stare?" Erza just gave him a blank look, showing nothing and feeling nothing, "What difference does it make? If I were to say what you planned to do in the tower-" "Shut up!" "Struck a nerve, did I? No surprise, you're as corrupt as ever..." The Messenger would've been sweating buckets had he had pores that is. Here he was, bowing to the ground before a mage in a Seat of the Magic Council who was being insulted and shutting up a Fairy Tail mage. He'd have no qualms with this if it had been that troublesome mage, but this was unnecessary.

"We'll see...I'll be asking for your pardon, but I wouldn't get your hopes up if I were you!" _We'll see, Jellal. Skin my scales, how is it that she can wear this without feeling the need to eat it?! It's torture, having something I can eat in my face, but I'm not allowed to!_ Erza walked into the council room, a blank expression on her face until a toothy smirk no one could see formed, _Check and mate, Bastard!_

 **Back at Fairy Tail**

Everyone was quiet, there wasn't any excitement in the air anymore. Natsu was in a shot glass, a literal salamander was what Mirajane had turned him into, "LET ME THE FUCK OUTTA HERE! COME ON, MIRA!" Natsu looked at Mirajane as she glared at him, not realizing it until the Master sent his enlarged fist at the shot glass, breaking it and revealing 'Natsu' to be Erza. Everyone stared at her in shock as she was in Natsu's clothing, "WHAT THE FUCKING HELL?!"

Erza got up and dusted the glass out of Natsu's clothing and off herself, "I owe him one...Natsu took my place so I didn't have to get 'reacquainted' with Jellal. The crazy bastard's going to get himself killed, but he won't stay down, we all know this and those eyes...those eyes are going to change a lot of minds when he makes his move!" Makarov shouted, "AGAIN I SAY, WHAT THE FUCKING HELL?!" Erza bowed in apology while most of the male mages gathered got nosebleeds from catching glimpses of her cleavage, "Forgive me, Master!"

Makarov's face was deathly pale, it seemed as if he'd had a heart attack. _Oh, please, Merciful God! Don't kill him!_

 **The Magic Council's Fiore Branch**

An old man called out, "Let the trial commence! Erza Scarlet, how do you plead?!" Erza's smirk grew until it was perfectly visible, "I regret nothing, and **Erza's innocent!** " Erza's armor disappeared in a small flash of light, and a man with salmon-colored hair stood in her place with a toothy grin on his face. The council seats stared at the man in shock, they'd been played like fools, "Sup! You people really have a horrible set up if you've got someone that's, oh I don't know, killed innocent slaves to get his way..." Natsu stood before them with a smirk on his face that displayed his feeling of superiority in this situation and a gleam in his eyes that spelled out trouble.

"You wanted the one for most of the destruction? Hehehe," He held his hands in a way that pointed towards himself, "You've tracked down your quarry! Hehehehehe! It's so obvious, and you can't see it, hehehehehe!" His snickering was incessant, "Oh the irony..." The Chairman, a large man who's name was Crawford Seam, shouted, "WHAT IN THE RAGING HELL IS GOING ON?!"

Natsu's snickering became chuckling that wasn't going to stop anytime soon, "Y-Y-Hehehehe-ou didn't, hehehe! See this coming?! HAHAHA! You people..." The laughter ended abruptly, catching the councilmen and women by surprise, when they saw his eyes...Those eyes were terrifying. They were the eyes of a man who didn't care about whether anyone lived or died, the eyes of a true predator, the eyes of a..."Slayer! We outlawed your type long ago!"

Natsu's eyes burned alight with hatred, "..." Those eyes stared into the the Chairman's soul, searing it, trying to burn it down to nothingness. A pale woman with long, dark purple hair looked to the Chairman curiously, "And why would you do that, Chairman?" Natsu answered, never taking his eyes off of the man he wanted to kill next, "Because...Dragon Slayers scare him! We're able- _trained_ -to kill dragons when they wish to rest and keep the balance of nature in place. But humanity has always been afraid of what it can't understand, mages aren't that much different when you think about it."

"This is treason!" "Is it?" Natsu's smirk and evilly gleaming eyes stared into the eyes of an elderly man with cat-like ears, "My kind were ordered to be exterminated! Does that make you no different from murderers...I can name you by scent and figure alone; Daughter of Ur," The woman who asked about the scenario stiffened and glared at Natsu, who returned it with more power than she could give in her eyes, "Gramps' old friend, Yajima, it is an honor!"

Natsu bowed to the man, said gesture was reciprocated by the old man, "And you must be the troublemaking, Natsu Dragneel I've heard so much about. Makarov said you were fiery, he never said you were a Dragon Slayer. I had heard that all dragons had been killed along with all Slayers. Apparently I was told wrong, and I must say it's incredible to find a First Generation Dragon Slayer no less!"

Jellal and Ultear, the daughter of Ur, looked between each other in confusion. The things that they were hearing about was before their time, "Why is Slayer magic outlawed? It makes no sense. Shouldn't they be kept alive to protect the populace and world from those who'd do us harm?" Natsu's chuckling began again, "Oh. Oh! Ohohohohoh! Poor poor Jellal, haven't you noticed something?" He waited patiently, actually expecting the man to answer, "What should I have noticed?"

The snickering started now, "The Magic Council ordered that all Slayer class and type mages be outlawed. The idea that a Slayer of dragons, gods or demons turning on the world frightened them more than even the Darkest Dark Mage, Zeref." Before an uproar could begin, Natsu roared out at them, "Where do you think the term 'S-Class' came from? It stands for Slayer Class, that's why the strongest get the right to be S-Class, because they are as strong as a fully-matured Slayer type mage. I came here to set the record straight about my friend's innocence, but instead I found a council of mages who tried to end my type of magic."

Natsu closed his eyes and sat in the Lotus Position, calming down as he said, "Well, now you know that we're still around. And that isn't about to change, but I think your show of force was a little too easy to use against you. Take the charges off my friend's head, and I won't squeal to the world that you've failed and _tried_ in the first place, to destroy a type of magic..." He got up, and leaped out the window in his naturally destructive ways. The Magic Council looked between each other, seeing that they were stuck between a _sword of iron_ and jaws of fire.

"I for one," Ultear said, "say we've little choice but to do as he says, seeing as we don't want our reputation to be destroyed and overthrown. It looks like our hands are tied and burnt to a crisp. We intended to sentence her to prison for a few years, but now..." Jellal nodded his consent, "He's doing this for his friends, and if Dragon Slayers are _this_ loyal, imagine any Slayer's loyalty to their homeland. I've never even heard of Slayer type mages until today, and the knowledge that the Magic Council condemned them to destruction for doing nothing."

Yajima seemed very intrigued in the young Dragon Slayer's words, "He knew that it had been outlawed, even when several of us had said against such an act, how? He's too young to have known about that, yet he did...He must have quite an ear for what happens in the world!" The other councilmen looked amongst themselves, they'd no choice but to do what he said this time, "Erza Scarlet is proclaimed Innocent!"

Outside the window, remaining on the wall of the tall building by his Dragon Force grown claws, he heard everything and felt pride in that he was able to change the minds of several councilmen and a councilwoman in one day. He let go of the building's wall and started rocketing towards Fairy Tail, _One thing done right today, now if I could only find her..._

 **Fairy Tail, a week after Natsu's departure**

Natsu stepped into Magnolia's gates, his feet tired and his mind clearer than ever. He'd done something stupid, but he didn't feel like he'd be killed the moment Fairy Tail saw him, so his chances were fifty-fifty at least. The streets seemed quieter than usual, meaning he'd missed something important, _It's quiet._ He looked to his left, _Too quiet._ Looking to his right showed him no one, _Where is everybody? The children causing trouble as all little ones do. The vendors selling their wares. Mages entering and leaving town to take part in jobs. What could cause this solemn atmosphere?_

(I'm sorry if this chapter's makin' no sense, but I had to give Natsu a good reason to resent the Magic Council. They accused Erza in canon, but I wanted him to feel something negative towards them to give him a reason to threaten them besides their lives. We know that in canon, he'd never've survived fighting them on 'is own) Natsu entered the shade of a tree he'd gone to to think when he was a kid, what he found there...made his blood boil. There, stapled to the tree, was Shadow Gear with the guild stamp for Phantom Lord stamped on Levy's stomach. He would've roared, had he not caught their scents, or more accurately, "Frauds!"

He kicked the one who looked like Levy in the stomach, making her gasp and transform into a woman he didn't know, "H-How'd you know?!" Natsu tapped his nose and smirked toothily, "Does the term, Dragon Slayer, mean anything to you?" The other two transformed into a pair of men who were seriously overweight, "Y-You're just like Gajeel!"

 _Skin my scales, I've missed a lot!_ He was about to fight them when he heard the sound of a gasp, "You're alive!" Recognition crossed Natsu's face, "Wasted Space?! You're actually allowed out of the guild?!" Bora nodded, he wasn't wearing his extravagant clothes anymore, he was wearing something much more casual and street-like. His shirt was white and plain, but on it were words that read, 'Light my way'. Around his head was a bandanna that he wore like a sweatband. His once classy pants were now jean shorts that reached under his knees. There was a chain as a belt around his waist, a necklace, bracelets and tattooed on his arms, "I found my affinity! Spirit chains!"

He sent chains from his tattoos and chain items towards Natsu, making him tense up, when they passed right by him and started going for the Phantom Lord mages. _Skin my Scales! He's turned around...Maybe, there is hope for me!_ "Leave one of 'em for interrogation!" Bora nodded, "Don't worry, I learned my lesson! Also, Miss Heartfilia said that if I ever came across you, to tell you, 'What the heck were you thinking?!'."

Natsu's face turned from surprised and expectant, to irritated and rigid, "Oh, she did, did she?!" Bora chuckled at Natsu's face, "Yeah, I was surprised that she was even talking to me at all, too. But, she said everyone deserves a second chance." Nodding, Natsu inhaled deeply before lunging his head forward, releasing a stream of flames at the two fat mages while Bora's chains restrained the woman. When the two mages were burned to a crisp, Natsu turned to Bora with a quizzical eye, "You went after the woman, really?!"

The ex-slave trader had the decency to look sheepish, "Old habits die hard?" He offer, only for Natsu to palm his face and groan, "You haven't changed," Bora looked scared for his life, "Which I think has done us a favor, she didn't attack, implying that she isn't a fighter by trade. So!" He started a fire in his right hand, which he neared to her head in a direct threat to he life, "Start talking..."

While they were interrogating a witness, a pair of dark eyes opened and a draconic roar was released into the now storming sky...

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

THAT'S A MOTHERFUCKIN' WRAP ladies, gents and other! I think I messed up here, but I wanted something different than everything else I've read. If ye guys and gals don't like this chapter, I'm _very very_ sorry. As always, if you're still gonna read this: R &R, no flamin' my ass, constructive criticism, and SEE YE-GOOD NIGHT!


	6. Meeting a 'kindred' spirit

Whaz up ladies, gents and other! Let's see how Natsu takes the Phantom Lord mage's information, and the guild's reaction to his return. I don't own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima's a lucky bastard.

 _Thoughts or emphasis_

'Paraphrasing'

"Normal speech"

" **Draconic speech** "

 **XXXXXXXX**

"Hey, Waste-Bora!" Said ex-slave trader looked to Natsu in surprise, "What?!" "Y-Y-You said my name!" Natsu looked surprised and covered his mouth, "Ehm, ergh no I Didn't! Stop making things up!" Bora would've continued trying to make Natsu admit it, but the serious face he made got the blue-haired man silent, "What's on your mind?"

"What are we going to do with her? I've no ideas unless we want to hold her for ransom, do the same thing we did with you," Bora shuddered at the amount of cleaning he had to do, it was amazing the guild wasn't a smoldering pile of ashes with how much damage Natsu had caused. The man in street clothes shook his head, and retracted his chains, "I don't know, Dragneel. Let's bring her back to the guild and see what the Master says."

Natsu nodded his head, "Yeah, glad I thought of it." That made Bora's face hit the ground, when he looked up he saw Natsu smirking down at him, "Couldn't help myself, had to see how you'd react. I don't think I've ever heard of Spirit Magic, how's it work?" The man on the ground got up by being pulled up by Natsu's grip on his collar, "It involves a great deal of concentration, a bowl of ramen, garlic dumplings, a large soul and one hundred percent usage of the brain!"

The stare Natsu sent Bora's way made him shrug in an, 'I'm as confused as you', look. Shrugging it off, Natsu tossed the once bound lady to Bora and began to walk to the guild. The young woman over Bora's shoulder was about as old as Erza, her clothes were like those of Gypsies and her hair was a burnt orange. She was about as tall as Lucy, and had a bust to rival her too. The young woman's Gypsy-like garments were mostly a dress with pants underneath, a belly-turtleneck shirt, and a bandanna she wore around her lower face like a bandit might in the desert. Her clothes were colored in purple, indigo, orange, yellow, green, red, and blue. Her eyes were a silvery grey, and her skin was supple. Altogether, she was a supermodel in the making, all she needed was some guidance and she'd be set.

She was unconscious right now, courtesy of Natsu, and the two males were taking her to the guild, what could've gone wrong? A lot. When they got to the guild, Natsu's eyes gleamed and Bora took a couple steps away from the pyrovoric mage, "You do what you're going to do, I'm going to stay away from the kill zone!" Natsu rolled his eyes, "I need you to throw me." Bora's eyes bugged out of his head and shot right back into their sockets, while Natsu waited with a foot tapping, "Throw me!" Natsu suddenly realized that the guild was silent, when he looked up he saw gigantic metal clubs, _I smell...Dragon Slayer! I'd better talk to Gramps after I get the noise level back to its natural calm._ ( 'Calm', riiiigghhht)

"Are you sure?! I don't want to get killed because of this." Natsu crossed his arms and asked, "Would I do-" Bora's, 'are you serious', look made Natsu stop dead in his words, "Okay...Just act like I pissed you off if that makes you feel better." Bora shrugged, smirked, and sent his chains at Natsu, "Oooooohhhh SHIT!"

And Natsu flew through the door, hit the ground, but slipped and his foot hit a certain silver-haired swimsuit model, "WOWOWOWOWOWOWOW!" Natsu started to spin, before he got onto his hands, where he spun until he could get onto his feet. (Think of what happens in Digimon's attack, Tempest Twist, and make it a reaction instead of a course of action)

When he stood up, he saw a distraught Mirajane crying, "Oh, shit! I am so sorry, my foot slipped." When Mirajane looked to him, he averted his eyes, distracting him from the smile that appeared on her face, "I'm fine!" "WHA!" Natsu hit the floor by face, and the voice of the mage who gave Natsu a bad lead was heard, "CODE PINK EVERYBODY! CODE PINK!" "I'LL CODE PINK YOUR PUSSY, BITCH!" The man who called out the 'code' was then on fire with Natsu snickering evilly, "I warned yooooouuuu!"

Natsu was then grabbed by the head and slammed into a breastplate, "..ow...why is it...always...me?!" Erza was crushing Natsu's sturdy boned spine, displaying her incredible strength. Natsu was then left with one choice, "Please don't kill me for this!" He began to breath fire on Erza's breastplate, not enough to melt or bend it, just enough to make her 'hot and bothered'.(Playing on words is HILARIOUS! *I get clawed in the face again* SUNUVASHIT, WHY)

A brawl began to start, when someone threw Levy into Natsu and Elfman who were trying to get the better of each other, "Since when do _you_ take part in brawls?!" Levy blushed at the fact that she was on top of two muscular males, one of which was like an older brother to her, "I don't, I just got thrown in here by accident..." Natsu had a mischievous gleam in his eyes now, "You're gonna hate me for this, but: AHEM!" Everyone in the guild looked at him as he raised Levy up and down above his head, "WE'VE A NEW BRAWLER! LET'S TEACHER HER HOW IT'S **DONE! rrrRRRAAAWWWHHH!** " The battlecry was accompanied by Droy and Jet zeroing in on Natsu, who threw Levy to Elfman who passed her to Bora's chains which sent her to Gray, going in an arc around the guild.

All the while this was going on, Levy was trying to escape this compromising situation, "HEY! PLEASE LET ME DOWN!" Lucy was chatting with Gray when Levy was thrown into him, "What the heck's happening today?!" Gray answered her question with a question, "This is the thirty-second question. Have you noticed you ask a lot of questions?" Lucy asked in a clueless tone, "Do I?" Gray's left eye twitched, "YES!" He then threw Levy into the crowd of fighters, hoping she'd be fine, when a titanic hand caught the distraught bluenette.

"I LEFT NOT TWENTY MINUTES AGO! CALM!" He grew larger, being able to look onto the second floor with ease, "YOUR!" His hat was now touching the ceiling, "SHIT!" He stomped on Natsu as he was about to start roaring at him, "NO ROARING AT ME, NATSU! YOU'VE BEEN GONE A FUCKING WEEK AND THE WHOLE GUILD WAS PEACEFUL, UNTIL THAT WEIRD MAN WITH IRON MAGIC ATTACKED OUR GUILD!"

Natsu began roaring, strained though they may have been, but they were heard nonetheless. Lucy pulled out a seemingly random book and began to flit through pages quickly with her Gale-Force Reading Glasses, as Laxus was away on a job, someone needed to translate for him, "He says, and it's a bit shaky: 'A Dragon Slayer's scent permeates the atmosphere. Bora Wasted Space and I found some Phantom Lord mages impersonating a tortured Shadow Gear, badly, I might add! We kept one of them for you to decide what to do with, Gramps! They plan to attack us and destroy us with something...'. And that's all I got right now."

Natsu began to roar louder, trying to make them understand, "What book is that? How can it tell you what he's saying?!" Levy was looking over Lucy's shoulder, trying to figure it out, "It's an ancient languages translator. I found it in the library, and Draconic is one of the languages that was lost long ago. This book's the first in a collection, which means we've lost quite a few languages! And Draconic's the last one in here, so he's going to have to speak English."

Makarov, seeing that Natsu was having trouble breathing with his weight on his entire torso, let the teenager off the floor and shrank back to normal. The Dragon Slayer got off the floor and went ate a fire Bora made for him to eat, " **These flame st** ill taste terrible, but they do the job of healing me..." The sounds of bones popping back into place and of ribs returning to their normal angle was sickening as Natsu took deep, grateful breathes.

"Skin my Scales, that hurt! Gramps," The old man looked to Natsu expectantly, "Phantom Lord's got something... _huge_ in store for us, we need to get out of the guild and take the fight to them. We're at a huge disadvantage here! Our territory's too flat and too populated for a full out guild war, if we stay...we're not the only ones who're gonna feel the casualties. They're guild's in an underpopulated territory, we can go all out in their territory, without consequence...but we've gotta go now, or Magnolia and Fairy Tail are gonna be nothing but ruins!" His gasping slowed until it was finished, but his serious tone and expression didn't end, it intensified.

Makarov looked to Natsu quizzically, "What's so big that it could destroy an entire town, as you say?" The urgency in Natsu's growl was obvious, he never got this worked up over something unless it was important, "I don't know, that's the problem! All we've got to go on, is what Lady Mcfailure over Wasted Space's shoulder. I don't trust her, but at least let a small group check it out, while the rest of the guild stay close to Magnolia but not in the guild. I never ask much of you, Gramps, but she wasn't lying when I asked her what she knew. So, please, let a few of us check out Phantom Lord's deal while the rest of you stay close to but not in Magnolia!"

When Bora placed the Gypsy-garbed woman on the floor in front of the cross-legged Natsu, "He's telling the truth, Master. I heard her admit these things when Dragneel interrogated her, she said that Phantom Lord's planning to destroy Fairy Tail because of your bragging and winning during a Guild Masters' Meeting years back. Her name's Juanda, apparently." (The 'j's pronounced like in Spanish and it's kind of a joke when prnounced right, it sounds like 'Wanda', making it sound like a horrible joke about magic)

All of the mages in Fairy Tail looked to the Master curiously, the Guild Masters' Meetings were confidential to the Guild Masters only, so they'd never heard about this. Makarov sighed resignedly, "I was drunk. You know how there's drunk, Drunk, and then _drunk_? I was the farthest latter, that hangover would make even Cana want to die!" Many people, including the drinking Cana, had wide eyes as the alcohol tolerant woman started choking on her drink before she got her coughing under control and swallowed with wide eyes, "JESUS CHRIST! HOW MUCH DID YOU DRINK?!" The entire guild shouted this, making Cana regret yelling with her current hangover and made the Master cover his ears to resist deafness.

"I drank about...hmm, let's see. There was tha-WAIT! THAT'S NOT THE POINT! The point is, Jose and I fought, I won and he never came to a regular meeting again! Phantom Lord had been number one long before Fairy Tail was founded, and when we began to rise amongst the ranks to number one...our guilds' rivalry started. Phantom Lord's current Master is Jose Porla, he and I butted heads when we got drunk one meeting and started to fight. I won, and he now resents our guild."

Natsu palmed his face, "Pride, an emotion that's led to so much trouble, and fun! Oh, well, we'd better get our asses movin' if we're gonna get to Oak Town..." Makarov didn't react right away, besides nodding his head, before he crushed Natsu with an enlarged fist, "And where the fuck were you going?!" Natsu spluttered and gasped, the fist was huge so he was going to have breathing problems for a second, "...Oak...Town? You were basically saying, 'sure, go ahead and do whatever you'-AHCK!" The fist applied pressure, making the sounds of cracking and popping resound throughout the guild, getting winces from most of those gathered.

That's when Natsu's head was sat on, by a certain blue feline, "Found you, Paatsu! Why'd you have to take so long?!" Natsu glared unheatedly at the cat on his head, "I can't fly whenever I want, Happy. Suppressing Dragon Force is hard enough, but keeping it up after suppression?! That's harder!" Happy smiled at the man underneath him, "You're not leaving my sight as long as I've anything to say about it!"

"Fine..." Makarov said the same word, seeing as he trusted Natsu enough to obey orders from Erza long enough to not get caught, "Erza, Gray, Natsu, Lucy, and Bora will go to Oak Town to investigate Phantom Lord, but I want you to report in if they start doing anything suspicious, Erza!" Said knightess bowed with her right hand across her chest to lay her fist against her heart, "Yes, Master!"

The fist was removed from Natsu's back, letting him breath again, when a frying pan hit him on the head. He was left knocked out for the rest of the day, his body was clearly exhausted from being on the move for most of the week he was away. The frying pan was courtesy of Lucy this time as she said, "Why is it that you've got to make people worry, and just when you get back, have to leave again?!"

An apparition left Natsu's body, getting Elfman to grab it and shove it back into the sleeping body of the salmon-headed troublemaker. He sighed in boredom, the brawl was killed by such a serious problem, it was as if the universe was against the fighting or as if the gods had something more planned...(hmmm)

 **Next day, on a train to Oak Town**

"Why wouldn't you let me eat a brick?!" Natsu was green and next to the window for the safety of everyone else, he breathed fire on a day-to-day basis so vomit from his stomach could very well kill someone if it touched skin. Erza was next to Natsu again making sure that, if needed, she could knock him out to shut him up, "Because, we don't need you to use Dragon Force and we don't want you to be suppressing something that powerful on a train filled to the brim with civilians. Just bare with it, you don't even have to grin for this."

"Please, knock me out, someone..." Erza, taking pity on him, did as he asked. A punch to the belly, a weak spot for Dragon Slayers as she'd found out, and a strong knock to the head and he was out like a light, in blissful unconsciousness. With his head in her lap, she'd found that he'd be safer from strange girls coming over to bother him, and she'd seen him attack several strangers for irritating. So, in a sense, she was playing guardian over him and his principles of loyalty. And she'd seen plenty of girls around them staring at the guys in their booth, as well as the blue cat sleeping in Natsu's bag.

"Great," Her voice attracted the attention of her travelling companions who were still awake, "we've company, and the worst kind, unwelcome! Lucy, act as if your Gray's boyfriend for the moment. Bora," He looked to the woman in curiosity, "Hm?" "I need you to cover yourself in your chains or something you can make. If those girls, and few men, outside our booth get a chance to get to one of us, we're going to be held back a great deal."

The blue-haired man nodded and closed his eyes in concentration, thinking of a form that would deter stalkers but wouldn't repulse the others... _Gray's an Ice-Make mage, Erza's a Requip mage, Lucy's a Celestial Mage, and then there's Dragneel. He's a Dragon Slayer, and that means he's seen somethings that aren't great for human eyes to see...Think! What would deter a group of civilians, while seeming familiar to the others? A creature...both familiar and unknown..._ (Cue drumroll) _...a dragon!_

No sooner had he thought that, than his spirit chains began to encase his body, directing everyone's attention to him. When the chains receded, in Bora's seat sat a (pause for effect) dragon. The transformation left the dragon at Bora's height, it was striped blue and black. It's wings weren't very large, about three feet individually. It had a thin head and snout, going down its back was a long, blue streak. Its eyes were golden, while its teeth were bared and pearly white.

It reared its head back before lunging its head towards the glass that separated the stalkers from them, snarling at the now terrified and running stalkers. Bora transformed back, "I used to enjoy the attention, now I can't wait for it to end...Fairy Tail is truly an incredible guild. Even my pride isn't sore about losing to Dragneel!"

Erza and Gray smiled softly at his words, "Yeah...We know. We've been in Fairy Tail since we were kids, different starts but the same ending..." Natsu muttered something out along the lines of, "Death doing what we...love..." His words made Lucy and Bora exchange a single glance, they understood that their travelling companions were close, but they didn't know that they were close like this. They had finished each other's sentences, and even the unconscious Natsu had said something, _They're close, they're passionate, they're...family!_

The train jerked to a halt, making Natsu roll out of Erza's lap and land on the floor in a crouch, "And what the Hell happened?!" Lucy was holding onto Gray's arm, when she noticed that she was only holding the arm of Gray's shirt, "Why are you shirtless?!" Erza commented on this, "Ice-Make Mages have the lowest body temperature of any mage, Ur taught Gray and Lyon..." Natsu continued as he stood up but kept his body crouched from the hips up, "To strip into their underwear to become one with their magic's element, and in that way of training, they drop their body temperatures to the cold level that it is. So the outside environment, unless it's the colder seasons or areas, is burning hot for him. Also, it doesn't restrict movement while still keeping his modesty covered...or would it be _im_ modesty?!"

Gray punched Natsu upside the head, "I will not deny any of these things, but you offend me anyway!" Natsu got up and butt his head against Gray's, "Good, leave us alone!" Happy had climbed into Natsu's backpack, fear evident in his eyes as Natsu's eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared, " **We've got company...** " No sooner had he said that, than a sword of iron pierced the ceiling above them, " **Metalicana's bastard! Fire Dragon'S ROAR! rrrrrRRRRAAAWWWHHHHHHH!** " The roof was blown right off the train, leaving a melting hole in the roof, and a spot where a man with long black hair stood with his right arm as the sword, "Ig **neel's brat, eh? Very well! Iron Dragon's ROAR! rrrrrRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHH!** "

A twister made of shrapnel was fired at them, making Bora cover Lucy and himself in his Spirit Chains while Gray made a shield of ice around Erza and himself. " **I'm going to tear you...** " The dark haired man finished the war cry in a deeper draconic voice, " **APART! RRAAWWHHHH!** " Natsu lunged at the man, fire burning in his eyes, while the man transformed his arm into an iron club that resembled..." **YOU ATTACKED OUR GUILD UNPROVOKED!** "

The man was tall, muscular, he had two small rods crossing through the bridge of his nose, above his eyes were three studs acting as 'eyebrows', his chin was adorned by two of these pieces of metal as well, and his ears had five of these as earings on each ear. His hair was raven black, long and shaggy. His right and left forearms had four studs in them individually, but his right arm was covered in scars. His outfit consisted of a shabby, black, tunic with sleeveless edges, a studded belt around his waist, loose, beige pants that were tucked into his black boots which sported studs on the backs of the heels, and brown gloves that had three studs on the back of the hand, while paired with wristbands covered with the same kind of studs. On his right shoulder was a strange, feathered ornamentation.

" **Ge Hi Hi Hi! Yes, I did, and you're in my territory. So I'm going to kill you, the stripper, the slave driver, and those two bitches in there! Well, maybe I'll...** " The man's eyes befell Lucy and Erza, a lecherous smirk developing on his face, " **spare the females, but you three are DEAD!** " Natsu roared out, " **NOT GONNA HAPPEN! FIRE DRAGON'S SWORD HORN! RRRAAAWWHHHH!** " He rammed the man in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him, and he then flipped the man upward by jerking his head to look at the sky.

" **You're not from Phantom Lord, you're just repaying a debt...BUT YOU'RE DOING THIS TO WIDEN YOUR TERRITORY!** " The group was surprised at the shout, _This guy only attacked our guild because of a debt?! He's attacking us because we're in his territory?!_ The assailant smile widened as he said, " **Yeah, and I'm proud of the trouble I caused! And, if I'm not mistaken, you caused your own kind of trouble for the Magic Council. So don't go pointing the finger at me! Iron Dragon's Club!** " He extended his now ironized arm, getting Natsu to grab it in his armpit and swing their attacker around like a polearm.

" **I did make my own kind of trouble for them, but at least they now know that they can't _destroy Slayer type magic_! They tried to wipe us off the face of the planet, and what was I supposed to do?! Let that go unchallenged?! LIKE HELL I'D LET THEM GET AWAY WITH TRYING IT AND NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT IT! FIRE DRAGON'S IRON FIST!** "

" **I _eat_ metal, dumbass. Using an attack like that won't h-!** " He was on the side of the train on the ground when Natsu jumped down and struck his skull, making him hit the ground with his face, " **I take back what I said, that hurt quite a bit! What are you doing in my territory, anyway?! You won't get any of the minerals you can eat around here!** " The voice of one Levy McGarden disproved that theory, "Wanna bet?! Natsu, CATCH!"

Natsu turned around to see a small catapult of wooden letters, and she shot a brick at him, " **Where'd you get one of my bricks?! _HOW'D_ YOU GET ONE OF MY BRICKS?!** " Levy heard his yell and responded in kind, "IT'S A SOLID SCRIPT COMBINATION I MADE, NEAT HUH?!" Natsu was hit in the head with the brick, making him land on his face, before eating it. He clicked his incisors together, getting a fire to be released from his mouth, fire he inhaled and got him roaring loudly, " **I'M ALL FIRED UP! RRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!** " Natsu began to strike at the man rapidly, his eyes were excited and crazed. When the man made his skin glow green and turn into iron crocodilian-like scales, Natsu sent a huge stream of flames at the raven haired man. His eyes widened to unknown proportions, while his iron scales were melted off. The man's weak spot; the back of the knee, inside of the elbow, the underbelly, etc. were all targeted by Natsu. After Natsu hit the spot that separated the stomach from the chest with his elbow, the man fell to the ground unconscious.

The Salamander roared to the sky in triumph, his teeth were gleaming in the sunlight while the team sent and Shadow Gear stared at the man on the ground. Levy stared at him, transfixed by the man who'd attacked her guildmates. She couldn't hate him for what he'd done, no matter how much she should've, she felt compelled to be near him or to comfort him of any of his pains, _What is this? Why am I so enraptured with this stranger?! What the Hell's wrong with me?!_

Levy's staring was interrupted by the sound of rain, "Ah, how nice, a storm...just what the dragon ordered! Now if only it was the proper storm, then we'd be set for life!" Happy started meowing in Natsu's bag, and a growling stomach could be heard, "Paatsu...I'm hungry! And bored, can you sing?!" Natsu shook his head when Erza caught him in a headlock, "Yes, Natsu, please _sing_ for us!" Choking could be heard in the rocky alcove where the Dragon Slayers had fought, "AHCK! Fi-OCK-ne! Fine! You win, I'll sing," As he spoke, Erza's chokehold loosened, allowing Natsu to breath with ease.

"I'll sing, but just don't tell anybody..." Erza nodded with a triumphant smirk on her face, pleased with her work, "Yes! Bora, take this Iron Dragon Slayer back to Fairy Tail so the Master can decide his fate like that Juanda-girl. You're the only one who can restrain him without problems. When you get there, don't tell anyone about Natsu singing, _understood_?!"

Bora shuddered in fear as he whimpered out, "Yes, Scarlet..."(Bora isn't stuck up anymore, and he an't stupid enough to refer to Fairy Tail mages by first name since he's basically a pity case and a person who's history makes most of the guild hate him at some level) Surrounding the raven headed man in Spirit Chains, Bora got into a train cart that no one was in while Droy and Levy got on and Jet pushed the cart back to Magnolia's station with his magic. Natsu went up to the front of the train, to find that the conductor had been bound and gagged so as to not arouse suspicion, "Jesus. Black Steel can really do a number to a once horrid train ride, motion sickness sucks ass!"

Untying the conductor, he went back to his train cart with the broken roof. Passing the coal cart gave him the chance to calm his stomach with something it could digest. He entered the booth and sat down with a sigh, "You planned this didn't you, Happy?" Said blue cat just stared at Natsu with endearing eyes from his father's backpack, making him close his eyes to resist them. Lucy sat whistling then she tried to use the puppy eyes on Natsu, making him blink blankly at her, getting her to pout cutely with still no effect on the pyrovore.

Natsu was seated next to Erza in case his stomach acted up again, said knightress was polishing her sword patiently with a soft and nostalgic smile. Gray was reading his magazine, shirtless as usual, the same smile on his face as Erza's. Sighing, Natsu asked, "Any requests?" Happy leaped out of Natsu's bag, his bag was off and this revealed his green Fairy Tail stamp, "Save The World and Don't You Worry Child! Please?!" The pleading eyes he sent made Natsu sigh in resignation, "Alright..."

(Cue: Pentatonix-Don't You Worry Child/Save The World)Natsu took a breath and started the song combination his boy wanted, they'd heard it on the train once sang by an acapella group. Happy started making sound effects,

Who's gonna save the world tonight?

Who's gonna bring you back to life?

We're gonna make it, you and I

We're gonna save the world tonight

There was a time, I used to

look into my father's eyes

In a happy home, I was a

king, I had a golden throne

Those days are gone

Now the memories are on the wall

I hear the songs from

the places where I was born

My father said,

'Don't you worry, don't you worry, child

Heaven's got a plan for you

Don't you worry,

don't you worry child, yeah'

Woah, oh oh oh oh

Woah, oh oh oh oh

Woah, oh oh oh oh

Oh, woah oh oh oh oh

Natsu and Happy's beat kept the song going and showed how much they could read each other. Lucy, Gray and Erza sat there, smiling in amazement at the images they saw with this song guiding them.

We're far from home, it's for the better

What we dream, it's all that matters

We're on our way, united

Turn the crowd up, now

We'll never back down

Shoot down the skyline

Watch it in primetime

Turn up the love, now

Listen up now, turn up the love

The others had closed their eyes when they began to see images that this song carried for the two singing. They could feel the love in each other's hearts to protect each other. Each heartbeat in synchronization as Natsu leaned forward, eyes still closed like Happy's, to follow the beat.

Who's gonna save the world tonight

Who's gonna bring you back to life

Here we go; We're gonna make it,

we're gonna make it, you, you and I

We're gonna save the world tonight

Natsu began to rub Happy's head affectionately, their eyes not even opened as Happy was on his lap, as the tempo calmed down. There were small tears in Happy's closed eyes, remembering happier days.

Don't you worry, don't you worry, child

Heaven's got a plan for you

Don't you worry, don't you worry child, ooh

Happy began to sing now, making the group's eyes tear up at his emotions as he sang. The images showed what he wanted of his happy memories, his nights in fear when his mother would sing him to sleep, when he heard of her disappearance. Natsu sang in the background, his voice lighter than before to let his boy be heard.

Who's gonna save the world tonight

...Don't you worry, don't you worry, child...

...Heaven's got a plan for you...

Who's gonna bring you back to life

...Don't you worry, don't you worry, child...

...Ooh, ooh, ooh

Don't you worry, don't you worry, child

'Cause I'm gonna bring you back to life

They sang as one now, speaking in one voice. The images changed from Happy's, to both of theirs when they were one family. An image of Natsu holding Happy and a young woman with shiny, silver hair holding Happy in her arms like he was a baby appeared in the eyes of the group's minds.

Ooh oh oh oh oh

Woah oh oh oh oh

Don't you worry, no

Don't you worry, no

Don't you worry, no

Don't you worry, no

(Uncue music)Natsu, Erza, Gray and Lucy opened their eyes to see Happy asleep with bubbles being blown from his nose. Smiling, Natsu picked Happy up in his arms and held him close, vibrating his cords to make a growl-like-but-unaggressive-sound. It was soft, making sure not to wake up the sleeping feline, but it was deep and loving. It was a rare case of seeing Natsu act like a tender, loving animal instead of the broken, wounded beast he always made himself out to be. Happy purred in contentedness, a small and soft smile gracing his face. Lucy sighed quietly, trying to keep her admiration unknown to the father before her, "I heard that, Heartfilia..."

Blushing excessively, Lucy tried to deny him, but a single look from him shut her up as he cradled his little boy, "I may've never been, or will be, the smartest guy in the world but my hearing's going to last a long time. Rest well, my little one. We've many days ahead of us...some hard, some soft, some dull and some fun. Now sleep, sleep in peace and compassion, knowing that you are safe from all pain. For as long as your father's heart yet beats in his breast, there shall be a safe place for thou to be lain..." His poetic words made Erza and Lucy blush slightly, imagining what he'd say if his love was their's, while Gray glowered lightly at his rival.

Natsu rested Happy in his bag, keeping the lip up to let the him breath and let him see his dad if needed. Still looking at his boy, Natsu asked, "Need something, Glaciephiliac?" That struck a nerve, because Gray's forehead had a vein pop and his left eye twitched irritably, "When did you start writing poetry?!" "Shhhhh!" He quieted down, "...When did you start writing poetry?! I've known you since I came to Fairy Tail, and never've I seen you write something coherent or readable, let alone poetic!"

A slitted eye narrowed, "And how'd-where'd-you get this idea that I write poetry in the first place, Stripper?" The whispered growl made Gray glare at the old playing of stupid, "Your boy let it slip when we were on our way to Clover Town, you caught scent of Erza's Black Wing Armor and went ballistic with lus-shit!" Natsu's eyes widened when he heard what he'd done, Erza, Happy and Gray had agreed that telling him was a bad plan. Knowing Natsu's sense of loyalty, he'd react violently and think the worst.

And they were right, "..." Natsu's eyes widened to the point where his iris, and pupil if he had one, shrank. His stare went off into space, and his breath got caught in his throat because a lump appeared. His mouth was gaping, until Erza hit him over the head, waking him from his daze, "You didn't get a good enough chance to catch me. Plus, Gray was on my back so he was able to keep you off of me long enough for us to land. When we landed, you went for me, but I backhanded you into a tree, you're fine and you didn't do anything immoral." He let a breath out of his body, "Oh, thank you, Sweet Merciful God...Jesus, don't try that again unless we've no other choice and not without my consent!"

Erza and Gray nodded, seeing as he now knew about what happened to him when he lost all memory of what happened on the Lullaby mission. He was breathing easier now, having not taken a breath the whole time before Erza hit him. Erza spoke now, "Happy explained how you described her scent, along with my Black Wing Armor's scent. When'd you learn of your newfound talent? And why keep it a secret?" Her voice was a raised whisper, just above a whisper.

Sighing in defeat, he said in a whisper, "It wasn't any of your business, you never asked, it didn't really concern any of you and it was intended only for her..." Natsu smiled nostalgically, "I could always get to her with what I said, I used that against her a lot. Huh, I kinda hoped none of the guild would find out, because we've seen what happened when I tried to sing! Cana uses my voice against me, and if everyone finds out I write poetry...well, let's just say that I'd never be able to live it down."

He groaned lightly, one of his deepest secrets was now out in the open, "I've always been able to write poetry, it was finding the words I'd have problems with at first, then they-" He made a quiet popping noise, "Just came to me! I only made poetry or spoke in a rhyme, outside of singing, around her and Happy. Don't tell anybody, because I'd like to have at least a shred of my dignity. I've enough trouble with Cana bringing up my little performance two years ago, and if she found out...Oh, my gods, I'd never be able to live it down!"

Erza, Lucy and Gray nodded, now understanding his decision to keep his poetry writing a secret, "What've you written about?" The innocent question came from Lucy, making Natsu smile a little as he stared at what was left of the ceiling in thought, "My little rascal here," He rubbed Happy's ears, making it twitch slightly without waking him, "My mate...Several of them are about her, actually. Huh, my feelings about whatever came to me and my friends." Gray and Erza had surprised looks on their faces, making Natsu groan irritably and sink into his seat, "Shit! I didn't mean for that to slip...well, now you know, happy now?"

Erza grabbed his head and smacked it against her breastplate, "Thank you for being honest with us!" He was trying to escape her vicegrip on his neck, "No...problem...Can you, oh I don't know...let me go?" She did as asked and Natsu returned to his sunken sitting position, "What have you written about us?" Gray's question was in total interest, he'd never known the creative side of Natsu so he was curious, "What makes you think it was about you two specifically?" He was then hit on the top of the head by Erza, who had an evil gleam in her eyes, "What makes us not worth writing about?!"

"Yipe..." Getting the dent in his skull to return to normal, he said, "I've written about the both of you, yes, but I've not looked back on them in a few years. So I couldn't tell you what I wrote about either of you off the top of my head, it was when we were children so I don't remember much about those poems. When we get back home, I could write something if you really want?" Erza nodded, a soft smile on her face at the fact that Natsu was coming out of his shell, while Gray did similar only less enthusiastically since he was just curious about when Natsu had started writing poems.

"I make no promises on how they come out, 'cause once I start writing the words basically write themselves...Oh, skin my scales, my stomach!" Erza punched his stomach, making him crumple in on himself, and hit him on the head hard enough to knock him out. He began to mutter things in a seemingly incoherent manner, when his claw-like hand began to make a writing motion. Raising his hand to the wall, a wooden wall was always a good thing about train booths, his claw began to make symbols in the wood and he coursed heat into it at seemingly random points.

The symbols were scratch marks and indents in the wooden surface, like an ancient written language.(Skyrim, Dragon written language) Natsu's mutterings began to take shape after the scratches had been made, (Cue: Pentatonix-Mary, Did You Know)"Hair of red, blade of scale. These are the traits thou'll see of the Titania of Fairy Tail. Armors and swords abound, when thy hears her her voice, a powerful sound. Her wings change, her weapon born anew each light of flash. But she is and always will be, Titania, Erza Scarlet in any clash..." Erza's cheeks were dusted now, these words carried such admiration of her as a mage that it was amazing she'd never noticed him before.

"Head of feathers, skin of ice, the second student of Ur is a master of the icy tether. He wears little, adorns much, son of a Demon Slayer and acts as such. Cold disposition, warm heart. Harsh and brash," Gray glared at the unconscious Natsu, "Kind and thoughtful, these mark the boy turned to a man by the name of Buster-Full. Where demons, once kind, turn dark and malicious stands the Son of Silver, and ice so cold it be vicious. Student of the Ice Queen, Ur, and Son of the Demon Slayer, Silver...Thy's name be, Gray Fullbuster."

Gray's glare disappeared as he heard the last words, Gray had mentioned his father once and how he'd learned a small part of Demon Slayer Magic before his father disappeared. Natsu wasn't done yet, "Sunshine locks, gold and silver keys. A young lady, young and fresh, makes up things-these. Her whip cracks, hair held to the side. In Fairy Hills, does she reside. Like the one lost to the Dragon and the Exceed, she holds them close and helps when she decides." Lucy was blushing now, she'd thought Natsu hated her for a while, "But her past is lost to those who don't search. Daughter of those in the company of Love and Lucky who've since fallen from its perch. Born of the womb of Layla, raised by the man Jude. She is kind to many, and to those cruel, rude. When the man lost his beloved, he found no council, he found the one he'd held from her birth. When he held her last in his strong arms, he whispered two words,"

"Don't..." Lucy was tearing up, "Please, Natsu..." "Forgive me, before his child ran from his once closed hands. Forgotten was she, did she think, he never meant to hurt but to heal the birds? So lost was she that he now looks for the one he'd held as a babe, tears in his eyes, apologizing stop-non. He held the Clock of Infinity too long, and lost himself to the woman he loved and to the one he could never have time to talk on. She watches as the land moves passed, waiting for the heart that beats within her full breast to heal..." Lucy was crying quietly, asking Natsu to stop bringing up these images as his words made their minds' eyes see things.

"She tears at her past, begging for her memories to be sent behind a seal. Her name must be spoken in whispers, for her name means 'Daughter of the Heart' and her soul may not be there when spoken as it might break apart...With hair as thin as cilia, I name the Lucy Heartfilia!" Lucy's tears were silent, but they were heavy, before Natsu got up and knelt before her to rub his head against her brow. Lucy returned the gesture, her tears less heavy but still there. Natsu opened his eyes, but they were empty.

(Uncue music) Lucy looked into his eyes, seeing the emptiness that remained but felt calmed into sleep. Natsu picked her up and laid her down on the seat, with her head in Gray's lap, "The Son of Silver watches over her, for her nightmares may never end but his holy soul will banish any evil from her. Any who disagree will begin to learn to concur..." His eyes closed and he laid back down, leaving Gray and Erza to their own devices. One thing troubled them, _How'd he know so much about Lucy? And what the Hell was that all about, it was like he was possessed or something?_

Outside of the Iron Dragon Slayer's territory, a twister turned into a tornado where there stood a blunette with sharp incisors. She smiled sweetly to no one in particular(...I'm basically sayin' she's smilin' at ye, kids) and began to spin and dance around in the tornado like she was in a field of daisies. She let loose a soft, draconic growl before inhaling and breathing out a twister...

 **XXXXXXXXXXXX**

That's a fuckin' wrap ladies, gents, and other! I kinda made Natsu's reaction kinda bad, but it makes sense since he was on a train, even though his stomach was fine he wouldn't have been able to react dramatically very well.


	7. Hearts and histories uncovered

Whaz up ladies, gents and other! Here comes the chapter where Gray learns the fundamentals for Demon Slayer Magic, Erza and Lucy bond and Natsu shows the true colors in the fire...I've gotten a couple of reviews expressin' the confusion I've caused with the bricks and eating houses thing. It's time to expel that confusion. Natsu ate a house in the first chapter for comedic effect and plot development. He can't stand the feelin' of the ground passin' him by that fast and the tremblin' a vehicle creates, so he went for something he'd take a while to digest to 'settle his tummy'. But Natsu ate a small house and ended up bein' finished digestin' it before the train stopped. So, to combat this problem, Natsu and Happy gathered certain minerals that the Salamander used to eat as a kid to light his breath before he could use magic. The minerals've been mentioned, but here they are: Platinum, sedimentary cryptocrystaline quartz(in other words, flint), chert, iron ore, and carbon, better known as coal(char or otherwise).

If any of ye wanna know why _these_ certain elements, then I'll tell ye. Flint needs steel to ignite, and steel's made from iron and carbon. But flint and steel doesn't work one hundred percent of the time, so Igneel taught Natsu an old and invaluable trick. Since platinum acts as a catalyst that combusts when it combines with oxygen and hydrogen, Natsu was taught to eat this precious metal as well to have a better chance of igniting his breath. And since he produces hydrogen from eatin' , he needs a place to store it and a way to prevent the flames he emits from burnin' his throat. Dragons that breath fire, like all dragons that fly, have 'flight bladders' if ye will. These 'flight bladders' contain the hydrogen and other gases produced in the body to be used as a way to get their heavy bodies off the ground.

Fire breathin' dragons release this gas and light their breath, while some have evolved a venom pouch to do just that. What stops their fiery breath from burnin' their insides outward, is a flap at the back'o'the throat like crocodilians have to prevent themselves from drowning while eating prey. Venom dragons, which I'll introduce later in the series, are the dragons that forewent the need to breath fire by utilizin' their venom and just stuck to usin' their venom for killin'. 'What's this gotta do with Natsu's bricks', y'all may be askin'. Natsu and Happy collected these minerals 'cause he could eat 'em without killin' 'imself like he almost did(does) in the Tower of Heaven. He imbues his magical energy, fire-related magical energy, into the bricks. Therefore, he's made 'imself a surefire way to enter Dragon Force _and_ settle 'is stomach at the _same fuckin' time_! I'm sorry that I'm ramblin', but this is a topic I've prepared for a scenario like this and I'm a geek who loves figurin' out ways to explain things that normally don't add up. (The bit about platinum actin' as a catalyst I learned from Animal Planet's documentary, 'Dragons: A Fantasy Made Real'. It! Is! AWESOME!) Now that my ramblin's done, let's get this story started!

I don't own Fairy Tail, that honor belongs to Hiro Mashima.

 _Thoughts and emphasis_

' _Reading of the letter_ '(One time deal)

'Paraphrasing'

"Normal speech"

" **Draconic speech** "

 **XXXXXXXXXXX**

Her father had locked himself in his office again. This wasn't new, this wasn't the first time, and this most certainly wasn't the last time. Lucy Heartfilia, daughter of Layla and Jude Heartfilia, Celestial Mage, and eventual successor of her father's trading company if it didn't go under before he died. Her floral dress was extravagant, making many of the servants mistake her for her mother on several occasions and making everyone miss her more. The walls on either side of her were cluttered with paintings and pictures, some were of landscapes and others were of her family. She passed by the painting her mother made for her and stopped, looking at it.

She'd passed by this painting for years now, but she'd never taken the time or had the patience she had now to inspect it thoroughly. This painting portrayed her mother in her prime, accompanied by a group of merchants, with a red dragon in front of them in the valley they were in on a trading trip. Her mother had told her the story behind this painting so many times that she knew every word by heart and could recite it backwards, but no matter how many times she remembered it or retold it to herself, she could never tell it the way her mother had. Today was one of the days she could reminisce without her father interrupting her.

And on this occasion, she noticed something about the painting she'd never seen. The dragon wasn't attacking like she'd always thought or the servants had always told her, it was backed up and roaring at them. _What could make a group of merchants and my mother, amazing though she may've been, threatening enough to back a perfectly healthy dragon into the trees?_ Then her eyes passed over a patch of pink next to the dragon's right, hind leg. _Wait a second, pink? Mother said that the dragon was all red and its underbelly was yellow..._

Lucy looked to the patch of pink to see, "A boy? What would...?!" That's when she looked to the trees behind her mother and her party, to see that there was a hand holding a knife towards her mother, _It wasn't mother and her party the dragon was roaring at! It was roaring at the bandits behind mother and her entourage! But that boy, what would a dragon be-Oh my god! The knife isn't directed at mother..._

Looking at the knife and where it could be directed to, she saw that it was indeed not pointed at her mother but at the pink haired boy behind the dragon. _It was protecting the boy, probably mistaking him for one of its hatchlings. But the knife is pointed at the cute, little guy. Why? What reason would the wielder have to threaten that innocent, little boy? Hmmmm...The knife's pointed from the right of the painting, the dragon, the dragon's boy is on the left, and the lighting sets this at about dusk. That means the sun is setting in the west, which means...The one threatening came from the east as the light is coming from the little boy's side of the valley. Those mountains aren't far from Mt. Hakobe, and that place is in an almost eternal winter...What are you trying to tell me, Mother? I know there's more to this painting, but what?! I should've paid more attention during our puzzle games instead of reading my Sorcerer Magazine and fantasizing about Fairy Tail! Wait a second..._

At the bottom, left hand corner was a little fold that was very inconspicuous. Pulling at the fold lightly revealed that there was an issue of Sorcerer Magazine, and the headline read, 'Salamander of Fairy Tail takes news reporters and the hearts of girls by wildfire'. Inside the first page was a note addressed to Lucy. It read,

' _Dear Lucy,_

 _If you've found this then times are probably hard, I've passed away and your father's locked himself away with his work. I know you must be hurt by his actions, and probably very confused, but please forgive him. He wants only what is best for you, my dear. I knew you would find this, you always were a clever girl. Your father would disagree, but you always took after me more than you did him. The story I told you about the dragon was real, when I found this article I wanted to give it to you because I knew you loved reading about Fairy Tail._

 _You've no doubt discovered the cute, little pink-haired boy in the painting. He is the dragon's son, and the dragon's name is Igneel._ '

Lucy's eyes widened, _That's the connection! That little boy's the dragon's son, and dragons have names? Who knew?!_ She returned to reading her mother's letter.

' _He has probably grown up by now, but he's only a year older than you, so if you find him you don't have to worry about trusting him. He helped his father save my entourage and myself from the Magic Council's mercenaries. I don't know why the Magic Council was after those two, but it seemed serious. I know that you're afraid, and that's alright, but you need to leave the estate. You're needed somewhere else in the world, and I believe that you know where that is._ '

With confusion evident on her face, she turned the page to see another note, this one shorter and on top of a photo. The photo was burnt, but the line underneath where the picture would be said, 'Salamander's signature...' Lucy looked to the note and read it aloud, "' _Find him, he'll take care of you..._ ' I don't understand, Mother. 'Him' who? Salamander?" On the bottom of the note read,

' _With a mother's love, Your Mother._ '

Tears began to trail down Lucy's face, the love and ache she felt in her heavy heart breaking it in half. _I'll find Salamander, Mother. I swear it!_ Lucy ran to her room, or as well as a young lady could in a dress, and changed into something better suited for running away as soon as she got into her room...

 **Camp, a mile away from Phantom Lord's plateau**

"Wake up, Lucy. It's morning, and we need you awake if anything happens." Lucy opened her eyes to see the sun shining down on a scarlet haired, armor clad maiden, "Twenty more minutes, Crezelda..." Her reward for her efforts? A facepalming of armor was heard, and then a gauntlet coming down on her head, "OW!" When she looked up again, there was Erza with a crooked grin on her face and a popped vein pulsing on her forehead, "What did you call me?!"

"YIPE!" Lucy was up in an instant, hoping to not incur the wrath of the Titania, "I'm sorry!" Erza's crooked grin subsided and the popped vein stopped pulsing so much, being replaced by a gentle smile on her face as she slammed Lucy's head against her breastplate, "You're forgiven!" Lucy had a tears at the edges of her eyes in pain, "...ow..." "We should get to know each other better. Natsu's words really got to you, didn't they?"

Lucy rubbed her head and nodded with a downcast expression, "Yeah, my father and I were never that close, but the gap only grew when...my mother died..." Erza's eyes softened, "I'm sorry, it must've been hard for you. At least you have Fairy Tail now, we're more of a family for most of us than anything else. Gray, Natsu and I were always trouble for each other but we were the closest things to siblings we ever had. I was the big sister, while Gray and Natsu were like the younger brothers who couldn't stand each other. Hmhmhmhm, those were the days, when we were _less_ encumbered by our pasts..."

The look on Erza's face was sad, a troubled path was Lucy's best guess, "Was it that hard for you three to make it as children?" Erza looked to Lucy with her normal, blank stare, "Natsu's heart and soul are broken and won't heal. Gray watched his family and hometown get destroyed by demons while his father was away, and I lost my eye as a slave! I don't think those leave us in the best cases for happy childhoods..." Her voice was bitter, like she was insulted by the insinuation that their lives had been anywhere near joyful when they had endured hardships that Lucy hadn't even the faintest idea of understanding.

Lucy, for her part, was hurt at the harsh tone of voice Erza gave her, "I'm sorry, I didn't know." Erza looked to her again, her harsh gaze softening again as she placed a gentle hand on Lucy's shoulder, "I know, and I'm sorry for biting your head off, that was out of turn and also Natsu's job. Speaking of which, he should be done training Gray by now?" Erza began to search the horizon, her hand shielding her eyes from the sun.

"How can _Natsu_ train _Gray_?! Aren't their elements contradictive to each other?" Lucy's question was met with a nod from Erza and a sudden appearance of Happy on the shoulder of the blonde bombshell, "Aye!" "Huh?" It took a moment before Lucy realized that Happy came from out of nowhere, "AAAAAAHHHH! WHERE THE HECK DID YOU COME FROM?!"

"Paatsu told me to make sure you didn't get killed by Erza! And judging by the fact that you're still alive, I'd say I'm doing a great job!" The chipper smile on his face made Lucy sigh at his adorable personality, "What are those two training on again?" Before Happy or Erza could answer, an explosion and a cloud of dust erupted behind a large mass of rocks. A roar of pain was heard and Natsu came running, holding his crotch the whole way in agony. When he got close, he threw something and held his balls.

What he threw happened to land on Lucy's chest, revealing itself to be a sham of a mouse made out of ice. It was blocky and very pathetic looking, but when it bit down on Lucy's nipple through her shirt, it hurt like a sonovabitch! "OOOOOOWWWWWWW!" As Lucy began to thrash around, trying to get the little, frozen fucker, it was sinking its teeth in deeper. Happy, during the roller coaster from the School of Pain that was Lucy, began to bat at the little fucker on Lucy's oversized breasts. (I say oversized 'cause Lucy's breasts resemble surgical implants more than they do natural melons. I'm not tryin' to piss off any of y'all, but the way they defy gravity and don't move ninety percent of the time leads me to believe that her breasts aren't real. But that's 'sides the point)

Natsu was on the ground in the fetal position, trying to heal his injured genitalia while Gray shot an arrow of ice at the mouse he'd made, "Never...am I _ever_...making another one of those when I don't have control over it! You okay, Natsu? Lucy?" Said girl was nursing her breast(Keep laughin', see where it gets ye) while Natsu was rocking himself back and forth, nursing his 'shame'.(More like _pride_. HAHAHAHA! *Once again clawed in the face* GIANT, MOTHERFUCKING BITCH! ARE YE-Ye know what, I ain't gonna tempt fate)

Happy started to poke at the ice mouse with innocent curiosity, like an infant does when it sees pudding for the first time. (Not the best example I coulda given, but what the Hell) Gray stared at his creation in solemnity, "I really am the weaker student of Ur, she'd be disappointed in me-OW!" Natsu was up, glaring at his rival after he backhanded him, "Shut up and never put yourself down in my presence again, that's _my_ job!" Lucy facefaulted, Happy giggled out of amusement and Erza went looking in Natsu's backpack for somthing.

"What are you looking for, Erza?" Looking to her blonde companion, she said, "I'm just looking for some bread." Natsu suddenly jumped into the air and mad a crocodilian hissing noise, "I hadn't of believed it if I hadn't experienced it. The idea of using bread as a weapon was something I doubted, but I was wrong. Oh, so very Wrong!" He was hugging himself for comfort while Erza smirked triumphantly, Gray was paler than snow at the memory, "I can never look at sandwiches the same way _ever_ again..."

Lucy's face portrayed her horror at the words of her friends, "YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT SHE ABUSED YOU WITH SANDWICH BRAD?! AND YOU GUYS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THE STRONGEST TEAM?!" Gray wasn't pale anymore, while Natsu was given a letter with a magic stamp on it from the guild in the background, "Strongest team, pfft! What idiot told you that?! Hehehe." The sounds of tears was heard from Natsu, Erza and Happy's direction. When Gray and Lucy looked, they saw a magically projected and _crying_ Mirajane Strauss.

"I just thought you had the best team chemistry..." Gray's eyes were wide and apologetic as he went to console the crying former-Demon-of-Fairy-Tail, "Oh, shit! I don't mean that you're an idiot, Mirajane!" Her tears continued, with Natsu glaring at Gray lightly, "Nice job, Clem-Idiot, now we're never gonna know what my technical demon-sister-in-law's gotta say!" The 'technical demon-sister-in-law' comment made Lucy facefault again, "WHA?! YOU'RE MARRIED?!" Natsu and Happy's ears were now ringing from how loud and how close she was to them, "WHAT/WHAT? I THINK YOU MADE US GO DEAF."

Mirajane was completely forgotten, which suited her just fine, as she was smirking behind her hands that someone had fallen for her fake crying again. She may not have been able to use her magic, but her Satan-Souls were a part of her and her of them, so her demon side was showing itself through the 'maiden's hair' so to speak. Gray was trying to avert his eyes from Natsu's light glare, but those slitted, black eyes were hard to avert anything from when they had their sights set on something.

"Gray..." Said Ice-Make mage looked to his pyrovoric rival slowly, trying with all of his might to stop the inevitable. When he was halfway there to looking into the eyes of the one who'd destroy him, he heard a deep, menacing growl of, " **Gray..!** " The anger in that growl made the turn finish suddenly, his face pale and scared, as Natsu gave the card to Erza and stalked over to his rival with an evil aura about him, " **I said to you once when we were younger, 'don't make my son cry', well I'm going to add onto that rule...Don't make _any_ of my family cry...** "

Natsu leaned in to Gray's ear so only he could h _ear_ it, " **Or I'll _break_ you!** " Gray's eyes traveled slowly to look his best friend and rival in the eye, and when he did he regretted it. For in Natsu's eyes were the flames of a creature that should never have been awoken, " **Am I c** learly understood?" Gray nodded slowly, so as to not provoke an attack from his draconic friend, "Y-y-y-y-yes, sir." Nodding, the fire-eater reacquired the letter, leaving a thankful-for-being-alive Gray Fullbuster. Lucy saw Natsu's eyes as he passed, showing his the lengths he'd go to for his family and those he held close, reminding her of her mother's note. _'Find him, he'll take care of you...' I found him, Mother, I just wish I knew what you wanted me to do now that I've found him._

"Wake up, Daughter of Layla." Natsu was snapping his fingers in front of Lucy's face, trying to bring her back from La-La Land, "Huh?" "We've got our orders from Gramps and Erza's gonna play strategist. You okay?" He placed his forehead against hers before removing his head from her own, making her pout inwardly, "You're not running a fever, so what's wrong with you?" His concern was endearing to say the least until Lucy looked into his irritated, slitted eyes. And the irritation was clearly directed towards her, _I know he's at least two or three years older than I am, but I'm not a little girl he has to look out for!_ (*Waggling my eyebrows conspiratorially* As the saying goes, 'Be Prepared!')

"Why are you annoyed with _me_?! I'm not the one who made your sister-in-law cry." Natsu's eye twitched at that, "I said that she's _technically_ my sister-in-law, I never married, which I've only recently come to understand is a human custom that equilates to mating..." Lucy snickered at his use of made-up words, "'Equilate' isn't a word, Natsu." His warning growl made her skin crawl and shut her up as he answered her previous question, "I met Miss Heartfilia as a kid, she and her group of merchants were at the wrong place at the wrong time..."

This made the others curious, except for Happy as his ears drooped and he looked to the ground in solemnity, "What do you mean, Natsu? What happened?" He stared at Lucy with a sidelong look, "Did you find the note? If you did, then you know that the Magic Council's goons were after me. The Magic Council outlawed Slayer Class magic, which includes: Dragon, God and Demon Slayer type. The reason behind this is fear of what we could do when we put our minds to it. We've seen how destructive I am when I get riled up, Hargeon doesn't count 'cause I wasn't taking Bora seriously. I've ruined entire towns when I was...still whole. Dragons, Dragon Slayers, Young Gods, God Slayers, and Demon Slayers were hunted and slaughtered just for _living_!"

His claw-like fists were clenched, his teeth gritted to hold back a roar that would give away their location to Phantom Lord, and his entire body was tensed in a way that made it look like he was made of stone or metal, "We **were hunted to near extinction, by those we'd sworn to _protect_! I was about to be killed when your mother and folly group of peddlers passed right through the battlefield. Myself and Igneel, being the Dragon that he is, stepped in saved them. In thanks, Miss Layla entrusted her entourage and herself to us. Before we knew it, a month had passed by and the Neglectful Father sent search parties for her. As she left, she said that should anything ever happen to her or her husband and herself, that her daughter would be my responsibility and that we should keep our eyes open for her. I accepted this responsibility whole-heartedly, but when Igneel disappeared.**..I forgot all about that. And now she's here, my unofficial little sister or daughter if you want to look at it from the way Miss Layla said it."

Lucy, Gray and Erza had wide eyes. This was news to them. Natsu had never mentioned this to the latter two of their group, while Lucy now understood what her mother meant in the letter. But Natsu wasn't done yet, "Your mother walked in on a battle two-centuries old. The Magic Council had just started relaxing as they finished the extermination of a Lost Class of Magic! When I fought you, Erza," He looked to her, his eyes were narrowed and full of anger pent up and still fresh, "I wanted to destroy you! But then came the Messenger and-hehehe-I had a chance to _threaten_ a group of mages who'd be able to kill me without so much as even wasting a breath and had wronged me as a child. Hehehe!" His chuckling was hysterical, mad, and dark. It was as if he had just found an outlet to release his pains, and he was letting a great deal off his shoulders.

"When they saw me-hehehehe-the older Seats and the Chairman were surprised, to say the least! I warned them, and I let some of the _younger_ Seats in on the Magic Council's 'dirty, little secret'. Hehehehe..." When he stopped chuckling, his anger filled aura returned to them instead of his crazed snickering, "I hate the Magic Council and its folly-filled, superiority-complexified, dumbassery! When I am strong enough...Oh-ho ho ho ho-when I'm strong enough..." His maniacally crazed, toothy grin returned, " **I'm going to destroy the fools who'd dare attack and destroy my kind! They went after men and women, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, infants and adults alike! I will never forgive what they have done to those of us who've done _nothing_ but help those in need!** They went after us in waves..." Sadness was in his choking voice, not heartbroken choking up but betrayal was in his voice and tear filled eyes.

"They went after the oldest of us, crossing their disappearances off as casualties of an occupational hazard. Then they started going after the younger generations, fresh or seasoned, it didn't matter to them. The mercenaries they sent were ruthless," He fell to his knees as he let lava drip from his mouth, not even giving a damn that he was melting the stone in front of him, in feral hatred. "They went after infants, hatchlings, cubs, babies, calves-Whatever you wanna calm 'em, they killed 'em! Barely able to walk to the point where they had just started reading and writing...And they called _us_ the **monsters!** " He looked up, his eyes glowing red with his rage. His body trembled, trying to hold back whatever was wanting to escape! His mouth opened wide and he let loose a roar, so much hatred was in it that the group could feel his killer intent and see what he wanted to do.

They saw him slashing through flesh and cracking cartilage. He tore through ligaments, broke and crushed bones, destroyed arteries and veins. Scorched and scarred, burnt and charred. Broken and bruised. The visions got more and more horrific, some of them even showing them what he'd do if he let Dragonification take place. That's when Happy jumped onto Natsu's shoulder and hugged his head, saying, "Stop it, Paatsu, they've seen more than enough!" Natsu was slow on the 'downtake', so to speak, but he eventually calmed down.

"Men like Silver Fullbuster, peak condition of health and fathers. Women like Layla, in their prime and mothers. Children like Romeo, young and innocent. They hunted us down to the brink, and there we still stand. When they send more goons to finish me, Laxus, Black Steel, and whoever else's left...we won't stand a chance." His voice finally lost its power, its rage. All that was left to be heard were soft sobs of betrayal and confusion. This was what he was: A member of a dying breed, a proud and protective father, a tender and loving husband(Sorta) and a dying man.

Gray was trembling, imagining his father dying at the hands of mere assassins and half-assed mercenaries. Lucy was shocked, seeing her mother and her group being saved by a Dragon and his son. Erza was silent, trying to wrap her head around the pain and betrayal Natsu felt right now. It was when Natsu's soft sobbing stopped did they wake from their reveries. The sky was strewn with stars, and a fire was set up with food consisting of freshly caught desert-dwelling critters.

"You're awake now, are you?" The three of them looked to see Natsu, covered in bruises and bites, "It's about time you three woke up, Happy and I couldn't even get Gray to bat and eyelash! Some mages from Phantom Lord got a little too close to you three, had to make lunch and...well, we've got a fire going! Hehehe." His blatant show of mild amusement made the three of them facefault, "You find the idea of burning people in place of firewood okay, you find it funny?!"

Natsu shook his head with an annoyed look, "No. But I find the idea that you think that I find the idea of burning people instead of firewood, amusing!" He snickered as he ate a piece of a mouse he'd caught and roasted, "Mmm! Fus roly kud!" (Bad attempt at referencin' Skyrim and makin' 'im talk like 'is mouth's full) After the initial shock of what was burning as their fire's fuel, they got down and ate what was prepared. Gray and Erza were hesitant as they'd found out the hard way that Natsu could only cook something to the point of being raw, underdone, crispy or burnt to solid ashes.

Happy was eating some fish Natsu had stored in his bag, kept in a small lockbox so Happy didn't decide to snack on 'a few' of the fish. Lucy took the first bite out of her snake, the least revolting choice of the selection Natsu had caught for them, and wanted to spit it out had it not been made of ash. Erza and Gray sighed, having naively hoped that Natsu had learned to cook was still just that: a naive hope.

Erza made a small comment, "You still can't cook, Natsu. You really need her to survive, in more ways than one." (Cue: RyanDan-Tears of an Angel) Natsu's eyes were now sky-turned, "The stars are but simple tears of the gods, the deceased, the angels, and the ones who spread their wings to fly. When we wish for rest, we ascend beyond our comprehension to the land of happiness and the fields in the sunny-starry sky...When a Dragon desires to rest its tired wings, a Dragon Slayer is asked to do the dirty deed of all things. The Balance is kept, the Dragon now slept, and the Slayer will one day follow soon after. Demons are creatures of negativity and pain, when a Demon Slayer is near, they are then slain. When a God threatens to destroy the world, God Slayers band together to defeat the rogue being of immense power."

He took a breath, his tears were falling now instead of fighting to. He was tired of the pent up pain and hidden history, "God Slayers, like their quarry, are beings who'll be forever a single flower. They know not how to grow and change, for once godhood is reached...A being is stuck as it is, while mortals' prayers are preached. But what of the hearts of these people with powers to rival gods, Dragons and demons? The hearts of these freewoman and freemen? They are hurt by everything other than their own. That allows us to reach our original zone..."

Natsu set fire to his hand, his tears were falling into his now fiery palm, "Let love, hope, joy, pride, and faith be your guiding light in these dark times. For there is more to my poems than rhymes. Let your heart beat, let your soul sing, and let your mind wander my beloved. For your son needs you, your mate bleeds for you and these things show that you will forever be loved..." The fires he made traveled from his hand towards the campfire, his eyes still dripping tears. When the flames from his hand touched the campfire, sparks flew higher and energetically. The once calm flames began to dance ecstatically, beginning to take shape and dancing like an elegant angel from Heaven sent to Earth.

He moved his hand closer, as if trying to reach her but he couldn't. The flames changed colors to match her appearance. White fires became her hair, blue flames became her eyes, sparks surrounded her curved figure and made a dress both elegant and manageable. She Became life sized and reached for Happy and Natsu, begging them to join her but they just stared at the apparition with longing eyes as they shook their heads solemnly.

Happy jumped onto his father's shoulder and rubbed his face into his hair as he hugged the salmon-haired Dragon Slayer, tears rolling down his face silently, "I miss her, Paatsu. I really, really miss her..." Natsu nodded and held his boy close, "I know, son, I know...I do too, more than anything." The apparition mouthed something to the two of them, wanting to be heard but never heard, "We'll find you, my love. Don't you doubt it, but how long must we search for you? It becomes-Get down!" He leaped down to them from his outcropping and slammed his hand down on the campfire, snuffing it out in one go, while Gray and Erza hid under an overhang of rock that was low to the ground.

Lucy was tackled by Natsu and Happy, "Wha-Mmph!" "Ssshhhhh!" Pointing towards the campfire, Natsu directed the girl-with-a-blue-cat-covering-her-mouth to a group of four people. They were barely illuminated by the embers, but it was clear that they were from Phantom Lord. Natsu growled lowly, getting the attention of a single figure who neared their hiding spot. She carried a parasol, her clothes were hard to make out but it was clear that they were blue and made for colder climates. She had a reasonably large bust, her hair was curled at the bottom, and her scent was of a rain storm. Natsu's slitted eyes narrowed, he was always reminded of the day he truly met Lisanna in the rain.

The growl deepened to the point that when he opened his mouth it sounded like he was readying a roar. A light began to form in the mouth of the fire-breathing, pink-headed psychopath, alerting the group and the enemies that he was readying a blast, " **You...** " Those words got the Phantom Lord crew to tense up, when Natsu leapt forward and roared at the top of his lungs and at full capacity at the mages, " **ARE GOING TO BURN! RRRRAAAWWWWHHHHH!** " His attack was dodged, but just barely, and with how hot the flames were...they were, ironically, out cold. (If ye get too hot too fast, you're body's gonna flip the fuck out and react in a similar way, dependin' on how hot ye get and how fast)

With them down, Natsu roared in triumph and tied them up with his flames, " **Stay put...Or I'll kill you in the most horrible ways possible!** " What the group didn't know, was that a man with pointed ears and elongated canines was destroying a small village seven miles away. This man had scaly, red arms with milky white skin under his arms. His hair was spiky in an upward-and-to-the-back way, and his feral smirk portrayed his bloodthirst...

 **XXXXXXXXXXXX**

That's a wrap ladies, gents and other! I decided to add in a couple moments of feelin'. Also, the timelapse there when the other three spaced out for hours? Yeah, Natsu's emotions are heavy enough to shut down even the mighty Titania! Next chapter: The team gets some answers, foes are scorned, friends are discovered, and family is furthered onward...As always: R&R, no flamin' my ass, constructive criticism, and SEE YE-GOOD NIGHT!


	8. What has been done is forever

Whaz up ladies, gents and other! I'm gonna give Natsu another memory to relive, hopefully it'll clear up some things for anyone who's doin' the stupid thing an' startin' the series at this chapter. The dream scenes're to also build emotional atmosphere. If I'm overdoin' it, underdoin' it, or ye just want more action than the emotional bullshit I'm givin' ye, leave a _constructive_ review after readin' this chapter. I don't own Fairy Tail, if I did...It'd be like what I'm writin', which _I_ think would be badass but no point in speculatin' on what coulda been.

 _Thoughts or emphasis_

 ** _Draconic thoughts or emphasis_** (Dragon Slayers, _true_ Dragon Slayers, view everythin' from a draconic outlook and see their draconic voice as their real one)

'Paraphrasin'

"Normal speech"

" **Draconic speech** "

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Come on, guys, it's not that much farther!" The voice of a beautiful, blonde woman could be heard over the chirping of birds and the breeze in the trees. She was a sight to behold: soft brown eyes that could melt the hearts of even the coldest men and women, long corn-blonde hair, her bust was large and all natural and her figure was a perfect hourglass. If those who watched her were to guess, they'd say she had a Double-F cup. Her attire was simple and yet elegant on her. She wore a white tanktop, an orange jumpsuit tied at the waist to give off the illusion that it was just a pair of baggy orange pants, she had a plaid button-up shirt tied into a knot at her chest, and on her back was a backpack full of survival gear and on her hip were two golden keys and three silver keys.

This beauty-among-the-beasts-of-men was named Layla, Layla Heartfilia.(Anyone catch the play on words for a movie title and a game references) Unknown to her entourage and herself, there were seven pairs of eyes watching them. Two pairs of these eyes were cautious of these strangers while the other five were searching for something, two somethings to be exact.

"Easy for you...to say...Lady Heartfilia...You're a mage! While the rest of us mortals have to work to get where we want to go..." The men's complaining made her pout cutely, and that's when the mercenaries attacked. Out of the trees dropped five men, each carrying a short sword and shield, "We're looking for the dragon, where is it?!" Layla and her entourage were surrounded on all sides, leaving them with nowhere to run and with the way the mercs held their weapons it was clear they knew how to use them.

"What are you talking about? Dragons went extinct hundreds of years ago, how would we have a dragon?!" Layla's question made one of the mercenary's eyes widen, "DAMN IT, JOHN! NOW WE'VE GOTTA KILL THEM TOO!" Before they could make truth out of those words, a pair loud roars pierced the once silent forest. A four year-old, pink haired boy with a dragon scale muffler wrapped around his neck and a fire dragon flew into the valley with hatred in their eyes.

" **LET US SHOW THESE FOOLISH HUMANS WHAT IT MEANS TO CHALLENGE A DRAGON AND HIS SON!** " The deep voice of the dragon shook the group of merchants with Layla, while she herself was confused when the salmon-headed boy leaped off his back and landed behind the mercenaries with anger in his slitted eyes, " **RIGHT IGNEEL! LET'S DO THIS, DAD! Fire Dragon's...ROAR!** "

(Cue: My Chemical Romance-Na Na Na. Short musical accompaniment) A fountain of fire was shot from his agape mouth, burning two of the attackers to crisps while the other three were flattened by the dragon's body, (Uncue)" **Foolish humans, thinking they can destroy a magic they've not even begun to understand without** **repercussions occurring...It sickens me!** " A nod was given by the shirtless boy with a muffler, " **Ye** ah, but somebody's gotta kill 'em or they'll kill others who're even more innocent than the rest of us."

" **Does not a human's soul understand that there be more than themselves?** " The boy looked to the dragon, "Does a wise dragon know that men are but arrogant children, yet to grow?" Looking between the two philosophical 'hermits', the merchants had question marks flying around their heads and swirls of dizziness in their eyes.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING KID, DON'T YOU KNOW THAT DRAGONS ARE DANGEROUS?!" Natsu looked to the man who yelled and glared, shutting him up and growling deeply, "I'm not that old, but I'd at least expect that even children can trust their parents!" And the faces of those besides the 'hermits' hit the ground with their entire bodies paled beyond belief.

"...Did I say something wrong, dad?" The dragon gave what seemed to be a shrug, consisting of moving its head down and up slightly instead of its shoulders, " **I am but a humble dragon trying to raise a boy, I know not what is considered wrong when it applies to humans. I have no prior knowledge of what humans view as right or wrong, and I do believe that I have told you not to call me that.** " Nodding, the boy said, "I know, but calling you by name isn't as simple as saying 'dad', so I've taken to calling you as such."

"Who are you, kid? Why are you talking so casually to a monster?!" Layla facepalmed and the boy rammed him in the stomach with a fiery aura of pointy-horned dragon around him, "Don't call the one who raised me since I was an infant, a **monster. Or I'll show you what it means to be a monster!** "

" **Enough Natsu. They are but feeble minded fools, who've yet to see beyond their own folly. Let them be, let them wallow in confusion and self pity until they are ready to learn...** " The now named Natsu glared at the man in the fetal position at his feet, anger burning in his slitted eyes, "But he-" " **Enough, Natsu. He is but a victim of humanity's folly and arrogance, let him be.** "

Natsu breathed out a puff of fire, a growl leaving his voice in the process, "Who are you, kid?" He turned to the only woman in the group, boredom now occupying his eyes, "Quid Pro Quo: Who wants to know?!" His use of intelligent language and then transferring to an nonintellectual manner caught Layla completely off guard, "Layla, Layla Heartfilia. And you would be?"

He seemed very untrusting of her, not surprising since he'd been raised in the wilderness, "Well, Layla Layla Heartfilia," The way he said this and the smirk of pride in his belief of being clever wasn't lost to the now slightly irate woman, "I am named Natsu Dragneel. The 'monster', as your soon-to-be-burned-coworker wrongly accused, is named-"

" **I can introduce myself, son. Forgive my son's brash attitude and violent ways, he holds family above all else and will lash out thoughtlessly when someone insults family. My name is Igneel, I am known as Igneel the Salamander or the Fire Dragon King by my brethren and sistren.** " Igneel directed his attention to his foster son, " **Natsu** , **apologize to the man you have incapacitated, we are in the presence of nobility and must act accordingly.** "

Natsu growled at the unconscious man, but he relented after a moment, "I'm sorry...for your stupidity!" He was then thwacked in the head lightly by the end of Igneel's tail, " **Behave, son. When in the presence of nobility we must act appropriately and with dignity. Now, Miss Heartfilia, what are you doing in this valley?** "

It took a moment before Layla answered, scratching the back of her head sheepishly, "We got lost and we were looking for anyone who might give us directions to the town of Magnolia, would you happen to know where it is?" Igneel looked to the clouds thoughtfully, he'd not been to any human settlements recently so he knew the ones he'd been to by name, " **I know the general direction to Magnolia, and you have traveled the wrong way. It is a month's journey to the east, you came here from the north and were trekking southward. Natsu and I will guide you there, but we will not leave the forest. When we reach the edge of the forest, you are to rely on yourselves!** " He said this while leaning his head down and sideways to look at Layla directly in the eye. (Reptiles' eyes are on the sides of their heads, so I'm applyin' that same logic to dragons)

She nodded and extended her hand, expecting Igneel to do something similar. What she got were tilted heads of confusion and odd looks from the duo who saved them, " **What do you wish to achieve by extending your hand? There are no messenger birds or any magical messengers nearby...** " Scratching the back of her bun-haired head, she smiled softly, "Nevermind shaking hands, let's go!"

 **Timeskip, two weeks and five days**

The men who'd accompanied Layla were less than thrilled about a dragon taking care of a human child, and even less enthused about having said dragon lead them through the forest. Layla was right now conversing with a very curious Natsu again, trying to explain what is customary among normal humans, "It's always polite and proper to offer a lady you help when you see her having trouble with something. Any other questions?"

She and Natsu had hit it off after the first day on their trek, both very curious about the other's lifestyle and how they saw the world. So these games of twenty questions weren't unheard of among the group at the moment, "What makes someone a lady? It sounds like it's either a sickness," A vein began to pulse on Layla's forehead, "A serious defect or deformity," This list was making the _lady_ of the group very pissy, as was obvious to the others, "A lack of strength in oneself, and or a severe weakness within the body. So, what or which is it?"

Layla's eyes were covered by her bangs, her grin was strained and crooked, and she emitted an aura that promised pain. When she looked into his eyes, he made no move to run or fight, "It's _none_ of those things, Bratty-child-with-the-cheeks!" To emphasize her point, she pinched and pulled his left cheek, making him act like he was going to eat her hand.

"And _I'm_ a lady! Being a lady means a woman of refinement and of perfect form." Natsu looked at her blankly for a moment, creeping Layla out to no end while Igneel chuckled deeply. "So," Natsu said cautiously, "Your hourglass figure, pretty hair and almost unnaturally-large bust-Ouch!" Having had enough of his instigating, one of the men hit him over the head, "Stop insulting Lady Heartfilia!" Before Natsu could retort, the woman they were talking about stepped in, "I can defend myself, my friend. And besides, he meant no harm by what he's said, right?!" She said the last bit with a crooked grin on her face, trying to intimidate the boy.

"Sure, whatever Layla-Layla. I still don't get it, but I'll figure it out later on, so no rush to figure it out..." He raised his arms to rest them behind his head and smiled cheekily at her, trying to get a rise out of someone. What he got was, "You're going to be a great influence on my daughter if something happens to me!" That, made Natsu trip and land on his face while Igneel stopped dead in his tracks and looked somewhat pale before laying down with the words the, " **Our journey has come to its end, now be off before I change my mind and eat you!** "

The merchants scurried off in terror, while Layla followed after them as soon as she said, "Keep an eye out for a girl who looks like the spitting image of me! Bye now, and don't be strangers!" It would be a few days before Natsu and Igneel came to the conclusion that she was serious, and several more years before Natsu did as he was requested...

 **Dreamscape change, rainy day in Magnolia**

(Cue: Thousand Foot Crutch-War of Change) The sun was rising, with rain still poring down. Staring down into the sea from a ridge of stone, sat a depressed Natsu Dragneel, now seven years old and an outcast among Fairy Tail. He had awoken one day to find Igneel nowhere to be found, ironically. Here he was: an outcast among friends and family, confused, lost as to what to do, and first and foremost, lonely in the crowd. _How's that for ironic and contradictory, heh. For what good it does me...Where are you, Igneel? Why'd you have to disappear on me like that?! Did I do something wrong? Did I cause you too much trouble? Why?!_

(Uncue music.)Before he could go deeper into these self-deprecating thoughts, an angelic voice entranced him and his thoughts, "If you stay out in the rain like this you'll catch a cold, silly! Hehehehe!" Turning slowly, eyes wide in anticipation, and heart pounding out of his chest, he looked behind him to see a beautiful girl who was about his age. Her hair was metallically white, making him think she had a silver cap on, and he was getting lost in her deep, blue eyes.

(Cue: My Darkest Days-Still Worth Fighting For ) Before he or she could blink, Natsu leapt at her with the intent to stop this unknown and unsettling feeling within himself. That's when her eyes narrowed in realization, her normal-enough-looking-eyes slitted in a split second. The look in his eyes was reciprocated by this strange girl, and when he got close enough to claw at her with his elongated nails...She slashed at him with her own claw-like nails, leaving a mark across his face, stunning him enough for him to land on his face.

The sound of whistling awoke him from his daydream, "Are you okay, Dragon Boy?" He jerked, flipped and landed on his feet away from her, "What the heck is it about you that smells so good, yet so wrong? Who are you?!" She stared at him with a slight blush dusting her cheeks when it registered what he had asked, "Lisanna Strauss, at your service! Now, about why my scent is so 'wrong, but good'...Well, you're going to have to beat me if you wanna find out!"

Natsu glared at Lisanna, trying to figure out what it was about this girl that drove him batshit crazy, "Fire Dragon's... **ROAR!** " He placed his hands together in front of his puffy-cheeked mouth and exhaled a stream of fire, making Lisanna jump above him and call out something-he-only-heard-the-last-part-of, "... **CLAW!** " Her hands were now claws that she used to attempt at severing Natsu's head from his shoulders.

Bending at the knees and lowering himself towards the ground enough that he could feel the puddle beneath(Behind-ish?) him. Lisanna's icy paw passed by his face by a mere centimeter and when she looked down to him in surprise, a lightning flash hit right next to them. The immediate dust cloud that resulted cleared and revealed an older Natsu running at an equally older Lisanna returning the gesture while a man with burnt-orange/ light brown hair and armor overseeing their spar in the exact same spot.

Lisanna jumped into the air, her body glowing, and landed on the ground with cat like qualities accommodating her beautiful figure. Natsu draconically 'purred' at her, when he turned to glare at the man watching them, "Don't **get any ideas, Gildarts!** " The man nodded with a nervous smile and his hands up in a disarmed fashion, he may have been stronger than Natsu but he knew that his student was stubborn enough to fight for what he loved, "Don't worry, Natsu, she's all yours and I'm not looking to remarry. My bed may be able to accommodate many women,"

Natsu snarled in warning, making Gildarts sweat and hurry what he was saying, "But my heart can only occupy one lady..." He stared at the noon sun through the tree tops in thoughts. Returning to the fight, Natsu was shocked to see Lisanna right in front of him as she leapt over his now backwards-bent body. She smiled at him as she passed his face and pecked him on the lips once, stopping him from resisting her hold on his body as they rolled down to a point where she was straddling him.

"I win, mreow!" She held on feline paw in the air triumphantly, before Natsu took both of her large paws in his hands tenderly, "No...Tis I who has won the greatest battle..." Her face portrayed her confusion, he was whispering to her in a way she'd never heard before, all she knew was that it was making her blush at the look in his eyes. "And," She whispered back as she lowered her face to hear him clearer, "what, exactly, would that battle be, meow?"

Natsu held her hands tighter, hesitance in his eyes as he said the words, "The war to win the heart of the most beautiful creature in all of creation and the way I won is something that no one, _no one_ , is allowed to tattle!" Lisanna's eyes widened in amazement at the honesty in his words, her blush had reached to her legs by now(hint hint), and that's when she understood what he was asking.

Her eyes began to tear up, making him look at her in worry and fear of rejection, when she enveloped him in her arms and whispered to him in a choking voice, "Yes...No one will know how you won me, my heart, my claws, my wings, my eyes, my heart or my love. That is a secret that you, and only you...huh huh, may know!" Before he could respond, she grabbed his head in her large paws and smashed her lips against his, passion and fulfillment entering her once uncertain heart. Natsu was briefly shocked, before he returned the kiss and wrapped an arm around her waist and one around her back to keep her close.

Gildarts hadn't been able to decipher what he was saying through lip-reading and couldn't hear a thing, but he could tell that he wasn't need or wanted in this situation. Seeing the young couple in this state reminded him of his wife and himself in their youth, when he saw something he had never even imagined was possible. Natsu was suddenly surrounded by flames that formed a cloak of sorts on his body. Lisanna and Natsu stood up, still embracing each other, the wings of Natsu's cloak spread outward and the tail wagged a few times before wrapping around the youngest Strauss sibling from her legs up.

Natsu's cloak had a dragon head that covered the top of his head like a hood, making him think he was seeing royalty of some sort. Then Lisanna was covered by a cloak of white and blue. Her cloak was similar to her boyfriend's, but it differed in its own ways. The wings were bat-like with hooked claws at the joints, the tail and the body were scaly, but that's where the similarities ended. The 'hood' was a lion-ish creature with teeth that stuck up from the bottom jaw and stuck down from the top jaw; a split vein-covered, shield-like ornamentation graced its brow to the back of the head, and its cheeks had white hair that reached about the top of its throat. It had long white hair behind the shield-like ornamentation, the hair was at the tip of the tail as well, and the backs of the wings had stripes. The cloak left Lisanna's face, chest, stomach and thighs alone just like Natsu's.

The two of them stared into each other's eyes one last time so they never forgot the way this moment was. Before the sun could set, the cloaks vanished and everything became dark. Fairy Tail's lights were off and the moon was full, and as the door opened the atmosphere said so much. Natsu and Happy looked around expectantly, not seeing the one they wished to see, they turned to a crying Mirajane and Elfmann, "What's wrong, Auntie DeMira?"

Mirajane looked to Happy, tears falling on her broken left arm's cast, "Lis-Lisanna's dead...We-We were helping Elfmann conquer the Beast a-and..." She broke down, letting the _unwounded_ Elfmann pick up as Natsu growled at him to explain, "I-I overestimated its strength and held faith in local fables that it was...mindless. But-huh huh-it wanted me to think that and...it-it..." Natsu grabbed him by the throat and held him above the ground, a testament to his strength, "'It' **what?!** "

Mirajane resumed, "It threw her into a gorge...a-a-a-and I went after her. She wasn't worried about herself, she wanted me to check on Elf...when I came back after I did-! She was gone...If we had her body, we could give her a proper burial, but-!" Her tears came back tenfold. Natsu's eyes were wide, tears fighting to fall, as he let Elfmann back to the ground. He took a step back from them, shaking his head, when he took off into the night. The fiery, dragon-cloak returned one last time, but it was made of black flames. It flapped its wings and he was off into the night sky to the one place he held sacred when it came to his mate.

 _She can't be dead! She can't be!_ His cloak disappeared and he fell to the ground, landing with a heavy thud, before he got up and ran the rest of the way to the only place he and Lisanna kept secret from everyone else: The hut they incubated Happy's egg in. Getting there in a fit of rage, he roared to the heavens and let black fire leave his throat, " **rrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!** " His tear guts were working overtime, until water didn't leave his eyes, but blood flooded his tear glands and filled his eyes to the point of spilling onto his cheeks.

Skin on his arms, legs and back was replaced with scales. Black eyes glowed blood red and his body was engulfed in a black inferno, all reason leaving his eyes and soul as he roared vengeance to the world. That roar drew the attention of a still injured Mirajane, Makarov, Mystogan and Laxus out of the guild and into the night. Natsu, seeing this place as holy, ran towards the closest civilized settlement to destroy everything that wasn't natural: Magnolia.

Reaching there, he charged down to the unsuspecting town with his body alight in the black flames when he was rammed by a scale-covered Laxus, " **WAKE UP, NATSU!** " " **RRAAWWH!** " He shot blast after blast at the one who'd dare interrupt his grieving. Suddenly he was grabbed and brought into the sky by a teary-eyed, Satan-Soul Takeover Mage by the title of Fairy Tail's Demon. A man wrapped up in a cloak, a bandanna, scarf and high-hipped pants was in front of him, held aloft by a floating-on-electrical-currents Laxus Dreyar, with a staff readied to strike Natsu awake.

Roaring recommenced, renewed vigor given as these mortal fools interfered with his vengeful destruction. Natsu struggled out of Mira's arms, diving to the ground head first and readied a devastating attack for the town below. Master of Fairy Tail, Makarov Dreyar, leaped into the air as a giant and batted Natsu into a tall building. Natsu began to destroy the building and attacked everyone in sight, everyone except for those who carried the scents of families and children. His destructive actions made the 'rescue team' see what he was actually after.

"He's not after Fairy Tail, or Elfmann for killing Lisanna...He's after Magnolia as a target to destroy those who he thinks gave her the mission!" Mystogan's words were heard, he was a normally silent man, and they hit home as Natsu burned five houses to smoldering ashes. Suddenly, light broke through Natsu's eyelids.(Uncue music)

 **Waking world, camp near Phantom Lord**

(Cue: Laura Shigihara-Cube Land. Fits the moment and I really like the tune) Natsu opened his eyes slowly, feeling the weight of a certain, blue cat on his chest. His eyes displayed his disappointment that it wasn't who he had hoped it was. He, by no means, was disappointed that it was his son, but he wanted so desperately to see his mate with his entire being. "Natsu. Natsu, wake up."

"Shh. I'm all _too_ awake, Daughter of Layla!" He held a venomous tone in his voice as he rolled over, holding Happy in his arms to let him remain at rest. Lucy was hurt. The way he spoke to her just then was...disgusted! Like he wanted her dead, "What did I do?!" "Shhh! Happy's sleeping..." His fatherly side shown, he returned to laying down while staring at the campfire. The moon was high in the sky still, letting Natsu know that he hadn't been asleep very long. _Lisanna, my love, you'd be disgusted with what I've become. I've killed so many innocent in a night, destroyed so many lives, hurt so many hearts, and corrupted innocent, little Happy...How can I keep going on, looking for you, if I can't be the man you asked to marry as a child?!_

Tears fell from his cheeks and soft sobs left his vocal cords. Lucy picked up on this, "What happened to her? Your mate, I mean. You wouldn't stop calling out to her in your sleep. I know you must miss this Lisanna-chick but-" Natsu hissed at her to be silent, "She wasn't just some chick, Daughter of Layla! She was- _is_ -my life, my world, and Happy's mother, she isn't just _some chick_! And as for what happened...that's none of your b **usiness or concern!** "

His growl made Lucy stop whatever words would leave her mouth. She _felt_ his his words and the power they carried. The power to kill without batting an eye, the power to raze towns- _villages_ , the power to raise a beautiful little kitten into a fine, young cat and the power to make her life miserable if he so chose to. Her eyes now had tears in them. She had thought that he was warming up to her, but it was obvious she was wrong, "If you don't want me around, just say it!"

(Uncue music)She made to run out of camp when a harness made of flames wrapped around her torso and brought her back to sit next to his still laid down form. He rolled over to look at her, Happy still curled up into a ball in the crook of his arm, and growled, "If I didn't want you around, I'd have said so, Daughter of Layla. Please...forgive me for my harshness. It's the nightmares I keep having again..."

Now that she got a better look at his half-shadowed face as he sat up with the fire to his side, the bags under his eyes were much more defined to her, "What are they about? How long have you been having them? Have you done anything to help? Is there anything I can do-Mm!" Natsu's hand was over her mouth, not to listen to the surrounding area but to give her voice and his _ears_ a rest.

"One thing at a time, Daughter of Layla. What they're about is...very personal, an' I'd prefer it if you just let it be that way and drop it there. At least until I think you're trustworthy enough to know what I see in my dreams..." Lucy pouted at him, hoping that he'd open up to her at least a little bit, "Okay..." "I've," He said like he was answering her questions in order, catching her off guard, "had them for two years straight now. Sleeping peacefully is near impossible for me, as each time my eyes close," Natsu closed his eyes in thought and demonstration.

"I see, and can only see, all the faces of those I've hurt. Of those who's homes I've destroyed. Of those who's lives I've ruined..." He glanced very briefly at Happy. "I've," He continued, "tried everything in my power to help my sleep return to normal. Results are...'less that satisfactory'. And no, there isn't anything you can do to silence my inner demons. I hardly know you, the only real connection you've to me is your dearly-departed mother, and I don't intend to delude myself into thinking that I can repent everything I've done by just getting close to a stranger."

"So, what was your mate like? Maybe I've come across her when I was on my own." Natsu looked at her blankly for a moment, before the sound of Erza humming a tune passed through the air and he began to hit his head against a rock. Th words, 'Useless, empty skull', were heard and Erza came from out of nowhere with a freshly baked loaf of bread in hand. (Europe-like settin' of canon, European foodstyle. True brad, bakery bread is solid and not made of basically air If ye did somethin' stupid like I did, and decided that bread works 'great' as a pillow durin' your childhood, ye'd know that storebrand bread is basically smooshed-together marshmallows made of loosely packed wheat particles and crumbs)

When Natsu sensed the danger, he slowly turned around and was literally pummeled with a loaf of bread. Lucy had to cover her eyes once or twice, but when the Titania was finished Natsu was able to regain his safety. (Take into account that Happy's still _sleepin' in Natsu's arms_ and ye wonder how he hasn't died of oversleepin') "She's the most beautiful creature I've ever laid eyes on...Eyes that would make sapphires cry jealously, hair the color and intensity of the most painful quicksilver, curves that could kill if possible, skin so soft and delicate I had to touch her like she was made of the weakest of glass while still firm, and her legs mad infinity look like a jog!"

He smiled at the fire, practically seeing his beloved mate in the dancing flames, while Lucy and a slightly interested Erza listened, "She could calm my rage, my hatred and help me see reason. When she and I fought, I could never lift a claw to fight her seriously, but I loved her too much to go easy on her. Her soft voice was like angel's silk, her kind heart could hold the world inside itself, her wonderful willingness to heal what has been hurt and determination to save lives was what led her to do whatever it took, no matter what the task was..." His toothy grin faltered suddenly, "That's what led to her disappearance."

Standing up, after laying Happy down on his cot, Natsu stepped out of the firelight to glare into the darkness surrounding their camp like it was alive. And as if to prove him right, the darkness seemed to move of its own accord, "Her desire to save lives and love for her family let the Beast hurt her! Even as she lay on the ground, beaten and nearing death, she wanted the Demon to check on Elfmann instead of taking care of herself...She disappeared after the Demon did so! And ever sin **ce...I've searched and searched! She hasn't made a peep, a squawk, a purr, a-!** "

He stopped abruptly and looked behind him with narrowed, slitted eyes that were directed towards the waking prisoners they'd captured. Natsu growled deeply, launched himself into the air, and landed a heavy punch on the large man with tears flowing down his cheeks from his bandaged eyes, " **What're you crying about?! You may be prisoners, but that doesn't give you the right to be sniveling pieces of-?!** "

"But Monsieur, the youngest Strauss died because her brother was weak, she isn't lost she's-MMPH!" Natsu had his fist on fire and holding the French man above the ground by his face, " **Finish that sentence, I DARE YOU!** " His eyes were full of the _desire_ to kill, he wasn't going to hold back if he was antagonized, he would _torture_ his opponent to free himself of this pain. "W-W-Wee, Monsieur...I meant no disrespect, but I saw the man with a scar kill her in the guise of the Beast..." Those words made Natsu's eyes widen. While the flames started to diminish, the man began to struggle to escape his bonds, when Natsu's fiery grip returned twentyfold. The sounds of pained screams were attempted but the fiery hand was holding the bottom half of the Frenchman's face, so screaming was impossible.

When the sounds of cracking was heard, Natsu's eyes started to glow red and blood began to pool in his eyes. An evil, toothy smile adorned the Dragon Slayer's face, " **I'm not usually one to kill pathetic scum, but I think...** " A forked tongue left Natsu's mouth and wagged around amusedly at the green haired man's choked, quivers of pain, " **That I should indulge in the taste of bloodshed _at least_ once during this guildwar, right?!** " Water suddenly hit Natsu's arm, knocking his captive away from his grip, creating a steamcover for the inching-away-mage.

" **Ah, the Rain Mage, I smell the scent of Wasted Space-Bora on you! Hahahaha! Were you two-Huh?!** " Sand engulfed his arms and legs, stopping him from moving around altogether. Happy had begun to wake up, but not to the warmth of his father but the 'cold' of Lucy's bosom. Lucy had gotten some distant away from Natsu, going behind the Phantom Lord mages for protection. She was in no way friends with them, but they were clearly strong if Natsu was going at them with the desire to kill.

The four Phantom Lord mages saw how scared she was of Natsu and made eye contact with her briefly, nodding as they saw that the cat in her arms was about to cry and that meant he was young. (They're messed up, not evil. There's a child near the conflict, they'll stop what they're doin' to save it and will protect it with their lives) Water left one of the bound mage's places and revealed that the woman with blue hair was _made_ of it, "Juvia will not let this evil man hurt the innocent! Prepare for a fight, Evil Man!"

Her determined glare made Natsu cackle like a madman, holding his head in one hand like he'd been told the funniest joke in all of Creation, " **Oh, really, Ex of Bora?! HAHAHAHAHA! I've given _three S-Class Mages and a Guild Master_ a three-day long hard time. And if I'm evil, than every Guild Master and whatever they've done make up the very being of Hell. Everything I've done is to find my beloved mate, my father, and to protect my family! Now tell me _I'm_ evil, when I see an _entire guild_ standing in the way of my path!** " His words made her glare falter, seeing that he had a point: Every Guild Master had a past and every past had a dark side.

The man with bandages wrapped around his head to cover his eyes had tears running down his eyes, but the intensity was more than before and he had a quivering bottom lip, "It's so sorrowful to hear the plight of a single father with a part-time mother! I shall put him out of his misery so that no one else may feel this sadness!" Wind circled him and he was unbound, " **Oh-hohohohohoho-you've no idea who I am, do you?! I am Salamander, named and mated to the Blizzard Leopard, the Frozen Wyvern, Youngest of the Takeover Siblings, Mother of Happy Dragneel: Lisanna Strauss Dragneel! I am the Son of the Fire Dragon King, the mighty Igneel and I am the one who will destroy all those who dare hurt my family! Die IN THE HELLFIRE THAT IS OF MY RAGE!** "

He broke the sand from his arms and legs, his body covered by black sparks. Before he could make a hostile move, he was surrounded by Erza, Gray, and the four Phantom Lord mages, "Wake up, Natsu! This isn't you, you're not a murderer, you're a guardian! SNAP OUT OF IT!" Natsu's cackling resumed, madder than ever and his black sparks began to become small flames, " **I am who I am, Son of Silver. I have-HAHAHAHAHAHA-always been violent, dangerous and a threat to many. It is only now that I take up this mantle to restore my kind and find my mate! I will not let any harm what is mine, and I will destroy any who dare try...** "

A pair of black-fire wings spread from his back and the rest of his body was covered by flaming dragon-like features. His eyes were all red and blood made up his tears, but it was obvious he was holding back. Gray took his shirt off, gathering water particles and freezing them in midair, while standing next to the now-blushing Rain Mage. Erza Requiped into her Heaven's Wheel Armor, twenty swords floating around her body. The man with black and white hair stood up and created a platform of rainbow-colored flames under his feet to keep him aloft in the air. The man with bandages around his eyes unwrapped the cloth, revealing his eyes-with-cross-shaped-pupils and creating a twister around his body.

The French man held his head for a second, before throwing his hands out from his body and shook them, making rocks begin to float around him. Lucy, although at a safe-ish distance from the battle, opened the gates of Cancer, Virgo and a seriously-pissed-looking Taurus. "I see what's going on, no time to flirt now..." Taurus's serious demeanor let the other two Celestial Spirits see how big a deal this was. Like the bull, they too could feel the magic energy in a being, and Natsu was exuding so much power that if unchecked, he could destroy an island on his own.

(Cue: Daughtry-It's Not Over) "I shall do what I can, Princess!" "We'll keep you and the kitten safe, Baby!" Cancer and Virgo's stern eyes met, speaking wordlessly between each other, before nodding and preparing their respective attacks. Natsu roared to the heavens, creating an impressive display of black fire in the setting-moonlit sky. And the fight started, "Ice Devil's...RAGE!" A beam of snow, ice and cold air exited Gray's mouth and went straight for Natsu, but black markings suddenly curled up his neck and face, making him grunt in pain as he continued to shoot the beam.

"Water Slicer!" Rain began to fall on them before it stopped and the water turned into wave of scythe-like blades. "Blumenblatt!" Erza's battlecry made all of her swords charge for Natsu. The magenta-'x'-eyed man called out, "Zetsu!" Small explosions occurred around Natsu and tossed him around. Cold, blue flames zeroed in on the pyrovore, cooling his cloak down and diminishing the size of it. The blue fire came from the floating pyrokinetic mage above them. "Roche Concerto!" Rocks of all shapes and sizes were flung at Natsu, bruising and breaking his body.

Virgo spun and went underground before grabbing Natsu's ankles and dragging him down to his neck in the ground. The cloak began to grow in intensity, before Cancer cut it up with his magical scissors. Taurus came in and hit the Dragon Slayer in the head with the flat of his giant axe. Natsu was out like a light, frozen stiff, soaking wet, cut up, bruised, buried, and sleep deprived. The sun rose on the horizon, and the group of mages was too tired to fight each other as they'd used more magic energy than was necessary to take him down.

A lightning storm a few miles away, a strange creature was kicking and dancing. It had a horn at the center of its forehead and a horn at the bridge of its snout. The creature resembled a horse the size of an elephant, but it had a scaly hide. A mane of white hair stood on end, wrapped around its shoulders, going up the back of its neck, travelling down its spine and its lower jaw had this hair hanging like a beard. There were tufts of the hair at its feet, which were three-toed, reptilian claws instead of the hoofs that its form would imply it had. Bright, electric blue eyes were its source of sight and its ears twitched like it heard something odd. It turned, revealing the black, smoke and lightning-like markings that adorned its body from its neck to its sides.

It finished turning and roared to the sky with an agape mouth of sharp teeth. Looking to nothing in particular(Y'all readers), it charged and shot a bolt of lightning from its snarling maw...

 **XXXXXXXXXXXX**

That's a wrap ladies, gents and other! Sorry if the fight disappointed ye, but I couldn't get it right every time I tried to scratch it down, so I opted for the best I could write it. The main focus'f this chapter was to open some doors on what drives Natsu's self depressant thoughts that Lisanna would be disgusted with what he's done. I felt kinda weird writin' this chapter and it shows, so I'm sorry if this chapter sucked. As always: R&R, no flamin' my ass, constructive criticism, and SEE YE-GOOD NIGHT!


	9. Paths unknown and secrets untold

Whaz up ladies, gents and other! *Innocent smile* I've dragged the Phantom Lord Arc out too long, an' I'm gettin' bored with it, so I'm gonna let Natsu have 'is fun with the guild. HAHAHAHAHAHA!

 _Thoughts and or emphasis_

'Paraphrasin'

"Normal speech"

" **Draconic speech** "

 **XXXXXXXXXXXX**

"I'M GOING TO COMMIT MASS MURDER, WHICH _MOTHERFUCKER_ WANTS TO DIE FIRST!" Natsu's warcry was answered by fifty more from Phantom Lord's mages, making the Dragon Slayer close his eyes and open them violently, blood trailing down his face. Scales appeared around his eyes, on his arms, legs and back. The fire Natsu breathed was black and his voice became ancient and evil, "PREPAR **E FOR DOMINATION AND DESTRUCTION, FOOLISH MORTALS!** "

And the whole guild was set aflame, with Natsu walking back untouched and reverting back to normal. The crew from Fairy Tail and the four they'd caught stared in amazement that he'd destroyed an entire guild's lower levels, and through the Laws of Physics and Gravity the upper levels, on his own and within twenty minutes. When he got to them, he fell to his knees and was breathing heavily, " **Dam** n, I never want to do that again...So, you four thought on the offer?"

The four mages looked between each other, except the bluenette kept staring at Gray like a lovesick puppy, "Juvia wants to join Fairy Tail." Aria, the blindfolded man, Totomaru, the black-and-white-haired man, and Sol, the green-haired man looked to her in surprise. Totomaru smiled nonchalantly, "I'm going to take up my dream and become a teacher. I still don't like that you had to destroy our guild, but its path was going to cause its destruction one way or another, so I'm not as pissed..."

Sol looked to Aria, who did the same with his blindfolded sight, and sighed, "I need to stop hurting people, I still find it fun, but not if I'm going to get killed by it, Monsieur. So I believe that I must decline your generous offer. Besides, Monsieur, I'm under the impression that I'll get killed if I do..." Aria nodded at Sol's words, "Sadly you are correct. I hurt people too much, and as much as it saddens me to say, I must walk my own path. But I must know, Salamander, Mate of the Blizzard Leopard...What will you do now? How will you find your beloved? And why...is she called that?"

Natsu got off the ground, his eyes still downcast as Happy jumped onto his shoulder with an equally sad face. The cat rubbed his head against his father's, when Natsu's eyes burned with determination and light shined down on him as a beam, "I will continue to search for her, until the day I die and beyond! I will follow every lead, as hopeless or far-fetched as they may be, and I'll eventually find the right one. As to why she's named, 'The Blizzard Leopard'...That's something that must remain to be seen. It's," Natsu grit his teeth to stop his choking sobs from being heard that were caused by all of the sadness he felt for losing the love of his life, "Herkherkherk!" (Bad attempt to make the sound that a cryin' person does when they choke up, sorry)

Aria began to tear up as well, when his cloth-covered eyes saw something that made them go wide. He unwrapped the cloth from around his eyes hurriedly, making everyone but Natsu and Happy look at him in surprise, "I have to check something, if I don't it will be too sad to live with for me!" Those words made his technically-former teammates have wide eyes.

"What could be so important that you have to unwrap your eyes!? He's going to keep looking, but there's nothing we can do without knowing what she looks-" "Yes there is!" Aria's stern voice shut Totomaru right up. He sounded angry when the pyrokinetic questioned him, until he opened his eyes and he stared into Natsu's slitted black eyes.

"If I can see into his soul just enough, I might be able to help. My eyes don't just control Airspace, they're sensitive to eye-contact and the emotions that are passed over through said contact. I just need to see deep enough into your soul, Mate of the Blizzard Leopard. All you need to do, is open your soul to me!" Natsu rose his head slowly, like he was mechanical, hoping to every god and goddess that Aria was serious. When he looked into the taller man's 'x'-shaped eyes he grabbed him by the collar and held him above the ground, "Are you serious?! Because if you're pulling my leg, I'll burn you soul with my own!"

"I'm being honest. I just need you to spread your wings..." The Dragon Slayer put the man back on his feet, before he took the Lotus Position and breathed deeply, "Go to Erza, I need to focus and I can't have you siphoning my emotions." Happy nodded with hopeful eyes, "Aye, Paatsu!" The Exceed ran on all four paws to his technical aunt's old rival with the energy of a kitten on catnip.

Natsu took another deep breath, and the dragon of fire appeared around his body and spread its wings to the sky before it left his body and hovered in front of Aria expectantly. Said tall man looked at the manifestation of a soul with a stern face, making his eyes rotate and glow magenta. He suddenly gasped and his eyes rolled in their sockets, "She's everywhere and nowhere. You have to follow the hints...I can't pinpoint her body temperature but I can tell you that the closest clue lies in wait on an island."

His eyes and breathing returned to normal, "That is all I can give you...I'm sorry if it's not what you wanted." Natsu returned to his body and rushed the taller man, making him tense in fear before he was lifted off the ground in a spine-breaking bearhug, "It's more than I usually get. Thank you, Aria, thank you! Let's go, Happy!" "Aye!" Father and sun took off running towards the general direction of Magnolia, when Hapy took to the skies and Natsu shot himself into Happy's tail-grasp.

Juvia, Gray, Totomaru, Erza, Sol, Lucy and Aria looked to the distancing form of Happy and Natsu confusedly, "Do you have any idea where this island is?" The Rain Mage's question made Aria shake his head negatively as he rewrapped his eyes up, "I couldn't pinpoint that either, like it wasn't there but I could feel a magic that felt very much like what he loved, so I gave him what I could. It's sad what's become of Slayers...But something unsettles me about him."

"What's that, Aria?" Gray's casual addressing of the man made him hit the floor with his face, they'd been enemies not three hours ago and now he was fine with talking to him like they'd known each other since they were kids. He recovered and answered with a light trail of tears in his eyes, "He's a Slayer, that means I was able to find the magical signatures of a few other Slayer Type and Class mages...But the part that makes me sad and somewhat fearful is that he hasn't reached his full potential yet, as well as...There was something in him that wasn't. It was ancient, and he's so young. Maybe...I only imagined it..."

With that out of the way, Aria and Sol left the others on their own in two different directions. Totomaru chuckled, "They always were the ones who never tried to interact with normal people. Ah well, I'd best get going too, or I'm never going to make it to the cities 'nearby'. See you, Juvia, take care of yourself. And," He took her a fair distance away from her place next to Gray, "...Do yourself a favor and find a good person to take care of you..." He patted her on the back and left her blushing at the implications, "So long, Totomaru, I'll take care of Juvia and do as you've asked."

Gray, Lucy and Erza looked between each other and started their trek back home. That was until the Ice Demon Slayer-in-training got an idea, "Hey, Juvia, can you help me train in Demon Slayer Magic perhaps? I can't use the more powerful spells, but I understand the basics, and since Natsu's not here I need someone to help me. So, wi-?!" He was then glomped. During Natsu's nap and his destroying of the Phantom Lord guild, he and Juvia had hit it off, and Juvia was very clingy.

"Yes, I'll help you, Gray! I remember meeting you briefly when we were little, but only now does Juvia recognize you..." Now gray was confused until he got a good look at the teru teru bozu that rested on her collar, "You're the girl who lost her gift when I caught that scumbag in the rain near the fountain...It's been years, I almost forgot about that incident! Haha! Who'd have thought that I'd become friends with a friend?!" And the moment was ruined by Juvia getting frozen on Gray as she began to turn into water with the revelation.

"SHIT! I FROZE HER!" Gray then noticed that she was slipping from his arm, and he gripped what he thought was the teru teru bozu to stop her from falling to the ground which would result in shattering her. What he grabbed, he soon realized, wasn't the doll but her right breast, "Ah! Sorry. Hey, Erza, can you help me thaw her ou-OW!"

The pummel of Erza's 'bread sword' that came with her cheftress armor hit the back of his head, " _Slayer Magic_ : Eating your respective element and recharging your energy quicker than the normal method! Eat the ice around her, Gray!" Lucy stared blankly at the two of them from a safe distance, she understood how dangerous Erza was with food so she wasn't taking any chances, but the fact that Gray forgot the most basic part of Slayer Magic made her trip and hit her forehead with a rock on accident.

"Oh, right, how'd I forget that part?!" His answer was a simple one, "You're not trying to show Natsu up because he's not here, so your focus on Slayer Magic and the fundamentals of how it works aren't as direly needed as they would be if he were here. Now eat her out of the ice before she dies!" And he did as instructed, first going for around her head to let her breath, which she did with gusto, and then going for the rest of her until he was too full to eat anymore.

Still half frozen, she had to turn to water to escape her icy restraint. It was going to be a long trip...

 **Two days later on the train**

Lucy was out like a light against the Titania's luggage, Erza was watching the landscape past the window, Gray was practicing basic creation of 'living' ice and was succeeding mostly, and Juvia was sleeping with her head on his bare shoulder. The silence between the two conscious mages in the baggage cart wasn't uncomfortable, nor was it comfortable. To change this, Gray spoke up, "When did everything go so haywire? When did we grow from playful and innocent kids into...killers..."

Erza looked to him in mild surprise at his choice of words, "...We always were, Gray. Even as children we were taught to use our magic to protect ourselves, and to do so we sometimes must shed blood. Natsu, 'Black Steel' as he called him, and any other Dragon Slayers must know this the best, seeing as they've been raised in the wilderness by creatures of magic and nature. I've never known of the other Slayer Class Magics, and Natsu won't tell me what it's like, could you try?"

Gray looked to the ceiling in concentrated thought, "It's hard to explain. I'm naturally colder than most people, and that hasn't changed, but something feels different. Like I've been given more energy than I should have by default. And the cold within me feels different as well, like its very being has been altered to be something more...Hmmm. I'm trying to find an easy way to explain it, but I can't find simple words for this feeling! Huuuhhh! It's aggravating, this feeling."

His words were confusing to say the least, and Erza made her confusion clear, "Why do you say that? I'd think that it would give you something to help you become a philosopher or something." Gray looked to her with irritated eyes, "Remember how my ice felt when I accidentally froze your arm?" He was given a simple, curious nod, "Well, feel my ice now." He made a sword of ice in between his balled fists, a sword he placed in Titania's bare hands.

"It," She said slowly, "feels...colder. Harder, lighter, magically stronger, better than a sword and superior to my first sword of iron. But, there's something else, something...darker about it." Erza was given a nod, "If I use my Demon Slayer Magic, my body will be covered in the markings from the night Natsu went nuts before we knocked him out. The markings feel like chains under my skin, or some type of bonds anyway, but the part that really gets me is that my father used this magic...and he hated me for reasons I never found out. Whatever the reason, I feel like I understand him a little bit better, and I hate it."

Taking a breath, he continued, "I see movements in the shadows, creatures in the moonlight, darker sides in people, and I feel demons in the world...It's driving me crazy! Like I'm in a room without any sound, any light, any feeling, or any smell. They're their, but they're not. What becomes of Slayers makes sense to me now, and I see why they are taught what they are. Dragons live lives into the hundreds, and sometimes they want to be put to rest early. But if a dragon kills another dragon, the winner of the fight will become as strong as two dragons and that's a risk to the Balance of nature. So Dragon Slayers are called to put a dragon out of its misery if it chooses, a Dragon Slayer will die of old age or die from a natural cause so they won't have the chance to threaten the Balance."

"Demon Slayers," He said quietly, "keep demons in line. Nothing is truly evil, I see that now, but the demons-or angels or spirits-who threaten the Balance must be put down. Demon Slayer Magic was _birthed_ by humans who saw Dragon Slayer Magic, so it's not the same as the magic Natsu uses but it's not weaker. It has its own drawbacks, as do the other Slayer Type/Class Magics, but the benefits outweigh those. Dragon or God Slayers _can_ take care of demons as well as each other's namesake, but Demon Slayers are specifically trained to kill demons who threaten the Balance. I've no idea what other elements Demon Slayer Magic utilizes, but I can feel it, they're there..."

"God Slayers, now they're interesting," His somewhat hysterical tone of voice woke Juvia up slowly, "they came after Dragon Slayers. Whichever gods or goddesses came up with the idea for it, I don't know, but they feared for the Balance and the survival of the world if one or more gods went crazy or needed to be put to rest. As some gods were once mortal men and women who ascended to godhood, but they aren't always stable after they reach celestiality. And God Slayers are brought to put gods to rest if needed, giving them the chance to become gods themselves and they may take up this chance, but I've this suspicion that they rarely take it since they were taught to _slay_ gods and not to _become_ the things they slay..."

Juvia looked into his eyes as they stared to the floor with a crazed gleam, "Gray, snap out of it!" And he was back, looking at his seatmate-on-Erza's-luggage. "What's wrong?" Erza looked to him in shock that he clearly didn't remember anything he'd just said, "You were explaining what it's like to be a Slayer Type/Class Mage, or at least an in-training Slayer, and you started rambling like a hysterical 'conspiracy theorist' like you see on the streets with signs and tinfoil hats."(No offence to any of my fellow conspiracy theorists. It's for stereotypical comedic effect. 'Sides, what's the likelihood that government officials are gonna read my shitty stories)

Gray looked to Erza confusedly, "I sounded like a raving heretic?" He received nods from the lady clinging to his arm and from the woman at the front of the luggage mountain below him, "Jesus, I need to get some sleep then. Hey Erza, can you do that thing you did whenever I couldn't get to sleep when we were kids?" Said knightress nodded with a gentle smile, before she socked him in the stomach and bopped him on the head with force behind it. And he was unconscious, "Learned that trick from using a simpler maneuver on Natsu when he got motion-sick. It works on most people I meet, in fact!"

Juvia nodded with a soft smile on her face as she stroked Gray's cheek soothingly. "I noticed that you switch between the first and third-person, why is that?" Not even looking up or stopping her stroking, Juvia said, "I've been on my own since Juvia was little and Juvia's working out of it. 'Old habits die hard', right?" Erza nodded simply, also noticing that Juvia grasped the teru teru bozo at her collar lightly when she mentioned being alone when she was a child, "It must have been hard for you, being alone with your dolls day after day...Why did you choose teru teru dozu dolls instead of something else? Something more...practical for making friends or good luck?"

"Because," Juvia said, looking to Erza this time, quietly, "Children always left me alone when Juvia was around, bringing rain with me all the time. I remember it didn't rain where I was only once when I couldn't control my magic. It was when Juvia was younger , Juvia wanted to give Juvia's-my-uncle a present. It was raining wherever I went because Juvia didn't know how to control my magic, and I decided to take a seat on a bench that wasn't soaked by my rain yet. But before I knew it, the gift I had brought for my uncle was stolen right from my hands. Not knowing what to do, Juvia sat by the fountain to think, but Juvia got so sad that it began to pour instead of sprinkle. The heavy rain broke a black haired boy's cotton full of gold, worth a lot if Juvia-I-remember correctly...After my rain made the gold break the bag, I helped pick it up and then went on my way to search for what was stolen from me."

She took a breath, "I found the thief, a greedy man who preyed upon children's innocent naivety and kindness. The raven headed boy followed Juvia into the man's 'lair', a barricaded alleyway with money strewn everywhere, and beat him long enough for the authorities to get there and apprehend him. Juvia got Juvia's gift for Juvia's uncle back and went to meet him. Gray, as he told me what his name was offhandedly, said that Juv-I! Jeez, I need to watch what I say if I'm ever going to get out of that habit-could have some of the gold he earned from the authorities for helping apprehend the criminal as well as the bad man's small trove of heirlooms, coins and nick knacks. That was the day rain wasn't pouring the entire time I was there. I made teru teru bozu to stop the rain, but I was teased, so I made them to keep me company after I learned it was magic. But the kindness shown to Juvia made the rain stop, so for that I am indebted to Gray for making my once miserable childhood brighter..."

The honesty and admiration in Juvia's voice made Erza smile at the knowledge that the good people did was never truly forgotten. "I never forgot what he did for me, if I did I'd have become a heartless monster, but I didn't and here I am: Making acquaintance with a friend's friend! Phantom Lord wasn't horrible to me, but it never felt or was ever home for Juvia. So Juvia's not very sad that Phantom Lord is gone, sad that people died of course, but not sad that it's gone. Juvia remembers-Ugh! _I_ remember, the Dragon Slayer who's territory made up the area Phantom Lord made its headquarters...He wasn't nice to my guildmates, but he got along with the Element Four. We were like him: Outcasts, dangerous, S-Class, socially inept, and emotionally wounded by the past."

Juvia's eyelids became heavy as she confessed things she wouldn't to anyone else, all the while Erza was smiling kindly to her for sharing with her, "Thank you for giving Juvia-me-another chance at making friends..." And the Rain mage was asleep, cuddling up to Gray with her arms around his body and her head resting on his chest contentedly.

"Pleasant," Erza said quietly, "dreams." She soon after did too succumb to sleep.

 **Magnolia, two days later, midnight. With Natsu**

(Cue: Adam Lambert- Ghost Town) Happy was sleeping in Natsu's bag again, purring happily and mumbling about fish in his sleep. Natsu was all too awake. He had a lead, small though it may have been, it was a lead nonetheless and he wasn't going to let it slip by. He was going to take his chances with the lead, consequences be damned. The familiar, brickwork buildings of Magnolia came into view and called him onward to his home.

"We're almost there, Little Buddy. We're almost home." Happy's only response was to shift in his sleep and mutter, 'Fishy minbites', making his father chuckle lovingly. _It feels like it's been years since I've seen this place. How the passage of time does change with each person's growing face! Ooh, that's good, I'm gonna have to remember that one..._ He stepped on a single brick and was suddenly still. There before him, stood an destroyed and empty Magnolia.

"What's happened here? We were only gone at most a couple of weeks..." Picking up his pace, he ran to the 'rebuilt' Fairy Tail guild. It was larger than the old one, but the building was in ruins. Its doors were busted and rusted to all Hell, the windows were shattered, and at the center, inside, the demolished building was the large bell broken through the flooring. He then noticed that there was more to the building, but left those areas of exploration for later. Stepping outside, he saw something he'd overlooked before: An impressively carved statue made of stone and metal.

It too was busted to all Hell: graffiti covered torsos and limbs, heads missing, and faces chipped; but the inscription is what got him.

'In honor of the Tenrou Island Team of the X784 S-Class Promotional Trial; We, the only members of Fairy Tail who remain, dedicate this statue and newly rebuilt guild to:

Lucy Heartfilia

Gray Fullbuster

Erza Scarlet

3rd Fairy Tail Master, Makarov Dreyar

Bickslow

Evergreen

Freed Justine

Gildarts Clive

Cana Alberona Clive

Happy

Carla

Panther Lily

Levy McGarden

Juvia Lockser

Mest Gryder

Mirajane Strauss

Elfmann Strauss

Lisanna Strauss'

"'Beloved Guild Master/grandfather, mate, teacher, inspirational persona, teammates, rival, siblings-in-law, son, partners, family and'..." Natsu's voice choked up, "'Friends.' What happened here? Why is everything destroyed? Wher-No... _When_ is this?" He looked to the statue of all those mentioned and a frown creased his forehead, "Where am I in this statue? Where am I and Laxus in this list?! What about Black Steel? He's an S-Class Mage, so he'd be brought into this to thin out those in the trial to promote only those strong and worthy enough to be made S-Class...Who are 'Carla and Panther Lily'? 'Mest Gryder'...that name rings a bell-Wait! Isn't that the guy who died after Gramps sent him on an S-Class job in X783?!"

He sniffed the air and his frown became a scowl, "There's no scent...Yet I feel the energy of magic all around me, but no scent of the magic's user...This isn't real!" Suddenly the destroyed Magnolia convulsed in on itself and was no more, revealing a cloaked figure, "And you're the one who made the illusion, why'd you use it on me?!" Natsu growled out, waiting for an answer.

"Hahahahaha!" Pitying laughter was what he got, "You don't change Dragneel, you really don't. Even as a technical-teenager you were always well aware of your surroundings and senses..." The stranger removed the hood to reveal, "Daughter of Ur. What reason do you have to trick me?" The laughter returned, but it was full of mirth instead of pity, "I'm not the Ultear you met, or at least not yet. This Magnolia you saw before you, was what may or may not happen if you don't play your cards carefully."

"Hmmm...I see. You're not from...this time, then?" Her eyes were wide at his accuracy, before a pissed look appeared on her face, "Yes..." She gritted out. "I am, and I am now going to beat on the you I know presently, my present not yours. Anyway, I'm hear to warn you: the dripping of the moon will wake the demon within, a catastrophe will make you question your faith, your family ties will be tested, and thy parade's postponement will not last if you don't let it. That is all I can tell you...Any questions? _Relevant_ questions?!"

Natsu crossed his arms and nodded, suspiciously glaring at her, "What am I like in the future you come from?" She smiled, chuckling in a friendly way, "Ah, yes. You said you'd ask that question if I did this. And to answer your question: 'You're', in your own words, 'the most badass of in Fairy Tail-Dragon Arc'! Don't ask about the name, I didn't come up with it, you did. Now, I must be off before someone sees your dead-still form..."

And Natsu was back where he started, _Note to self: Figure out Mest Gryder Situation, choice for future guild name, and how I find Lisanna. End note._ He continued on his way to the repaired Fairy Tail guild, not a care in the world and no hesitation in his step. When he got there he had to admire the structural integrity that was added to the old design. That's when he realized how quiet it was, _Time to liven-up the place!_

He raised a foot off the ground after he took off his backpack, he didn't want to wake up Happy, and prepared to make an entrance. Then he thought better of it, _I don't have to destroy the door to make the place feel lived in...I'll just cause mayhem._ Slinging his bag back on, he opened the door to see that the entire interior was enlarged to accommodate more people and trophies. No one noticed him, probably because there were so many conversations going on.

Smirking inwardly, he snuck back out and looked to a window on the second floor. With sharpened, claw-like nails he _scale_ d the wall to the plain glass window, coursing fire to his back and feet to propel him upwards every now and then. At the window, he pushed on the window pane and slid in, not a soul knowing he was there, getting him to smirk proudly. _I'm on the second floor, which means S-Class jobs. And S-Class jobs mean more pay, and more chances to get into the S-Class Promotional Trials to prevent whatever happens in the Daughter of Ur's future. I'd better start out with something small. Something I can rope Layla's daughter into to get her experienced in combat so she can take care of herself and or to use her as a scapegoat if things go south! Aha, here we are! Galuna Island, second request: Earthquakes and the moon's turning-_

"PURPLE!" Elfmann yelled at the top of his lungs. (Reference to a Fairy Tail Abridged series. I had ideas that were basically the same as theirs, so I had to change what happened in the story so I wasn't plagiarizin') _Jesus, I forgot he can sense when someone-he-know's about to say, or apparently think, that color! Hopefully no one's onto me...Earthquakes, the moon's turning that color again, and apparently some of the inhabitants are forgetting they're demons again. Huh, I bet the Demon-_ Mirajane sneezed on the first floor and looked around for whoever might have used her old title with no luck.

 _Would love this mission if she could use her magic anymore. Now, the reward's a Gate Key...Found the bait for Lucy._

 **Three miles away**

"Achoo!" Lucy's sneeze was out of the blue and sudden. "Gazoontight." "Thanks." Gray nodded to her and continued reading his magazine on his 'bed' of entertainment suitcases Erza packed, around the top of the mountain of luggage.

 **Fairy Tail Building**

 _Now, how to get out of her without being noticed while taking a different route-You know what? I'm just going to leave the way I came._ Taking the piece of paper and folding it to fit in his pocket, he opened the window quietly and left the premises via fire-propelling-from-his-back-and-feet flight. His destination? Lucy Heartfilia's apartment. It was about this time that Happy woke up and Natsu began to run out of energy, "Shit!"

And the two of them fell to the ground. Doing a roll in midair, he took off his backpack and held it close to his torso to protect Happy from the oncoming-PHOOM! They landed with a phoom from hitting a mage who's magic was earth-based in nature. This mage was named Juanda and was a former Phantom Lord wizard, "What in...Hell hit me?!" "Oh, sorry 'bout that. I ran out of juice just a moment ago...ungh..."

Flattened beneath Natsu's back was the Gypsy-garbed mage. If Happy wasn't awake during the fall, he sure as Hell wouldn't be awake from the landing if it hadn't been an explosion, "What happened, Paatsu?!" Said Dragon Slayer chuckled sheepishly and sarcastically said, "I met a friend, Happy! We were just flying through the air and I saw a familiar face, so I decided to take a free fall right on fucking top of her...You alright, Juanda? You're not really built to be a landing cushion, and I mean _really_ not a good cushion!"

"Yeah, well, it wasn't the best experience for me either! You're not exactly a beachball either, _Pal_!" Natsu was then pushed off of her back and stood up without dusting herself off, "Hey, I'm not your 'pal', God Slayer!" And Juanda froze to be the level of an ancient statue, "How'd you know..." He chuckled darkly, "The breath of fire, the senses of a beast, the fatherly skills of a madman, and the loyalty of centuries...What does that add up to, Slayer of the Desert Gods?"

She turned around sharply, trying to see if he was serious, only to find he wasn't there. "You know," He said while leaning against her back nonchalantly, "you aren't alone. Stop acting like you're alone in this world of hate, pain and darkness. I did at first...and look at what I've become!" Doing as he asked, she turned to look him in the eye and saw that the light cast a shadow over half his face. The half lit by the sun showed a blank stare full of dark and horrid sorrow, while the other eye was glowing red in the shadowed side of his face.

"You are a member of a dying breed, that is true, but you aren't the only one." He pressed into her back and moved himself forward to stand casually behind her, hands in his pockets, one foot rested behind the other, face looking to the ground, and his eyes closed. "How do I know you're who, or rather _what_ , you are?! I've been told before that I'm not alone in Phantom Lord, but every time I've been let down!"

"What reason do I," He said slowly and honestly curious, "or would I have to deceive you? I hardly know you, and the only way I even know you exist is because I interrogated you, in a way that was reckless and unnecessary for which I'm sorry." He rubbed the back of his neck with his left hand, never moving his now open eyes from the bricks making up the sidewalk.

"You could be a spy for the Magic Council playing the part of a Dragon Slayer when really there never was a Dragon Slayer in Fairy Tail before Gajeel Redfox!" Natsu nodded understandingly, his hair bristling and his rubbing became scratching the hairs that stood on end at the _very idea_ that _he_ was a puppet of the Magic Council.

"True, I could be, but haven't you heard? Can't you tell?" Juanda looked back to him, his eyes not daring to meet hers, "I'm the one who told the Magic Council that we're not extinct, that we're not going to sit back quietly and await our deaths," His eyes made contact with hers and seemed to be zoomed in on for Juanda, feeling the intensity and honesty behind his words as he stared at her with tired and blank eyes, "That we aren't a Class/type of magic that is going to be forgotten and thrown away like it's trash!" The blank and tired stare he gave her changed in a second from a defeated, old man's eyes into a ready, hardy, and powerful warrior's eyes with a determination to do whatever it took to survive.

He began to walk away from her into the light of the alleyway, which looked like it was tilted to the left, "Don't trust me if you want, _kid_. But!" The way he said that was emphasized by his sudden turn to glare her in the eye, "Don't ever accuse me of being the Magic Council's puppet! We're of a kind. A dying kind, but a kind nonetheless. Never kill your own if you're a dying Class, you don't have to like me or even acknowledge that I exist, but never kill another Slayer if you can avoid it." His piece heard, he walked towards the general direction of Lucy's apartment.

Arms wrapped around his chest from behind him, making him smile softly, "Finally saw the light, eh, kid? I don't kill those who have potential to change or those of my Magic Type. No one knows this, but I feel sadness every time I kill. I don't regret killing unless it was unnecessary and or avoidable, but I don't enjoy killing. That's just a front I made to deter idiotic people and to strike fear into the Magic Council for their folly. Don't tell anyone, 'kay?"

She nodded into the space between his shoulder blades, "'Kay! I'm really not alone anymore..." Natsu chuckled softly, "You never were, Juanda, you never were. Now, scram before someone sees me getting suffocated by you. We don't want your 'sentence' to be longer than it already is, kid!" That made her tense at the thought of all the _woman_ ual(Horrible, non-sexist pun. Don't wanna offend anyone) labor she'd have to endure if she were to have a longer 'sentence'. Releasing Natsu from her hug, she turned around and left the alleyway. Natsu looked at her back as she left, smiling softly that every time he spared a life he made a friend.

"Paatsu, do you think Lismama will like the people we've met and the choices you've made?" And Natsu froze up. Memories of all the horrible things he had done flashing through his mind, "...Yes?" He returned to his journey, every memory coming to the forefront of his mind and bringing tears to his eyes.

(Cue: Starset-It Has Begun) Natsu let his energy encase them, letting them feel each other's thoughts. And all of that energy gave them a chance to see outside of the boundaries. What they saw was war, war without end and pain. Unimaginable pain that would be felt by worlds. Happy began to feel his energy fuse into the inferno they made, while Natsu let his arm become a dragon's claw with which he tore the air itself.

Behind the torn fabric-like appearance of the air, was a world where islands flew freely and magic was not from within but without. Black fire began to circle them and Natsu felt nearly uncontrollable rage that led the tear to open farther, before Happy began to grow into something he shouldn't, making Natsu cancel the experience in total.

"Huh huh...Not again, we can't do that again. I'm not strong enough...But I will be, once we start taking more," He unfolded the request sheet, "these! If we do enough of these, I might be able to do it all the way, but until then...no more." Happy nodded with a frown, "I feel so much power coming from us and I think it leaks into that place...And that place calls to me, we need to start soon!" Natsu nodded and forewent the apartment, taking to the wilderness for training again.

In the forest clearing they trained in, Natsu was growing scales and black sparks kept coming off of his skin. Happy was spreading his wings farther than they'd been before, growing and remaining longer than was necessary. When Natsu sent his energy to Happy, making him grow and develop into more than he was born to.

In that very forest, unknown to the training pair, another strange creature was being shed light on. This strange animal was serpentine in form, except for four wings, and fourteen feet long. Its four wings were feathered, venomous-purple colored and glowed lowly. Each wing of the first pair was seven feet and the five feet per wing for the second pair. It's scales were studded and tough on top of the hide, while its underbelly was soft and milky white. Travelling down its spine to the area between its two pairs of wings. The underbelly area that made up its chest glowed like its wings, lowly and venomous-purple. The ridge started at its nose and rose upwards to look like it was a headdress, where the bottom jaw had spikes going downward, and back down to the spine it rose from. Its eyes were bright purple and dangerous if antagonized. There were long, glowing purple feathers sprouting from its short neck. At the end of its tail was a flat, leaf-like rattle-reminiscent appendage that glowed as bright as its feathers. In its mouth-with-an-unhingable-jaw were large fangs full of venom. On the ground near its tail end as it flapped its four wings to stay aloft, were four smaller creatures that looked the same except they had legs and were as tall as the average ten-to-nineteen-year-old human.

The larger creature fluttered down with its smaller wings and let venom drip from its fangs into the mouths into the smaller creatures' open mouths. A razorback(North American way of sayin' wild pig) and its piglets walked into the treetops the reptilian animals resided in. The large one took out the mother of the piglets, while its offspring spewed venom from their cobra-like fangs at the piglets, killing them quickly. With the younger ones fed, the larger and older one let out a maternal roar to any who would dare come near its hatchlings. Natsu and Happy stopped for a second, thinking they'd heard a strange animal cry but merely shrugging it off as their imagination or something.(Uncue music)

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

That's a wrap ladies, gents and other! I wanted to let Natsu and Happy get a chance to see what they'd be experiencin' later. Natsu generates enough magical energy to power an Anima in this story when he puts enough effort into it, and since Happy's from another world(Literally), Natsu's able to open a half-assed and makeshift Anima. Happy growin' is caused by his body bein' filled with his father's negative emotionally-powered magic(If ye've read the manga, gotten far enough in the anime or read the wiki, ye know what that means. But I won't spoil for any of ye who haven't). If ye've got any questions that I-can't-think-of-to-answer-in-the-next-chapter, ask 'em in yer reviews. As always: R&R, no flamin' my ass, constructive criticism, and SEE YE-GOOD NIGHT!


	10. New adventures to be had

Whaz up ladies, gents and other! I'm screwin' with the Galuna Arc, an' I know it's not in order, but I wanna give Natsu an' co. a chance to broaden their horizons friend-wise. Let's go over the facts: Natsu and Gray are Slayers, Sherry's younger cousin's a Slayer too, so they've common ground to base a friendship(Or at least an acquaintance-ship) on. I also wanna make Natsu grow so he can do what I'm plannin' later. Plus, his eventual reaction to Gray and Lyon's interaction's gonna be interestin' to say the least. I've been asked 'bout the animals I've been showin' y'all, an' I wanna tell ye _so_ badly what their part to play is but I know better(Unfortunately). I don't own _jackshit_ for Fairy Tail, an' I'm startin' to feel alright 'bout that. Can any'f ye imagine the pressure Hiro Mashima must feel with people askin' 'im to hurry and make another arc for his original series?! That'd be Hell for a fifteen year-old like me! Anyway, 'fore I start ramblin', let's get shit started!

 _Thoughts and or emphasis_

'Paraphrasin'

"Normal speech"

" **Draconic speech** "

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The moment Lucy walked into her apartment, she saw Natsu and Happy sleeping against and on her bed respectively. It didn't register right away, but when it did, "AAAAAAHHHHHH!" Her shriek woke the two up like they'd seen a ghost, "What?! What's going on?! Oh, Daughter of Layla, it's just you...Jesus, don't do that!" Natsu scratched his head with closed eyes to calm his heartbeat back-the-fuck-down.

"Why are you in my apartment?! _How_ are you in my apartment?! And where were you when we got back?! We expected you to be there exaggerating the way you destroyed an entire guild by burning and eating the lowest section." As if to emphasize her point, Natsu belched lowly, "Excuse me. Anyway, I've got a proposition for you..." Lucy looked at him pissed off, "I hardly know you and I thought you were a 'one mate kind of guy'!" It took a minute before what she said processed through, and when it did Natsu looked ready to kill!

"Don't assume shit like that, Lucy! I AM A ONE MATE KINDA GUY, AND DON'T DISRESPECT MY MATE'S MEMORY LIKE THAT!" When he yelled this, a fire could be seen at the back of his mouth near his false palate.(The flap of flesh at the back of the throat crocodilians and fire breathin' dragons have to prevent themselves from drownin' while eatin' or from a backdraft of fire) And that's when Lucy realized he had a forked tongue as she payed extra attention to the fire in his maw, "Eek! Your tongue, it's been cut in half!"

Her words received cricket sounds from her window, making Happy scratch at the glass in a vain attempt to get through to play with the noisy bugs, until Natsu began to bust a gut while rolling on the ground, holding his sides in minor pain. Lucy puffed her pink-dusted cheeks and pouted like a child does when proved wrong or told they can't do something. As soon as Natsu could breath evenly, he said, "Listen, Lucy, my tongue's always been forked. I can resist Dragonification only so much and it shows in minor qualities. Gajeel Redfox, Black Steel? He's the longest tongue of any human being I've seen. Let's see...I've a forked tongue, slitted eyes, thick hide..."

He was standing, arms crossed, and eyes closed in concentration before he snapped his fingers and smiled honestly, "My wings." And Lucy gave him a skeptical look while staring at his back expectantly, "Yeah, righ-" Suddenly Natsu was covered by a cloak of fire with draconic qualities, qualities including wings, "Not physical, but my soul when I manifest it. I can't use my wings like real ones, I channel the energy to the two spots where they'd be on this cloak and I rocket forward or hover. Laxus isn't a 'real' Dragon Slayer..." A growl escaped his throat at the idea that the Magic Council was so afraid of real Dragon Slayers that they would be so desperate to attempt at making their own.

"I know that he has a Dragon Lacrima implanted inside his body, but he's still a Slayer so isn't he-I don't know-family or something?" A chuckle rose from Natsu's chest and left as a happy sound, "Yes! That's what it means to be part of Fairy Tail! We _are_ family, no matter if it's blood or not. Well done, you figured it out! Now, there are other qualities that come as drawbacks from Slayer magic..." His grin left and was replaced by a dark expression, "Dragon Slayers, we live very long lives and age slowly which leads to madness, meaning that I'm already nearing death as we speak. My years are numbered..."

Natsu sat down on the edge of the bed, looking to the ground sadly, "What's the number?" He didn't look up as he said, "If I'm lucky, and I use the term loosely...About ten," "Well that's not so bad."

"Months." And Lucy froze with a look that asked, 'Are you crazy'. "God Slayers live long lives and have a tendency to go mad after about a hundred years, since gods can't take the time to babysit specific mortals they don't expect long age from a young age like Dragon Slayers, they're humans with power they don't want after a while. Demon Slayer Magic was made by humans and perfected to the point that it might as well be natural. Demon Slayers can't use their abilities as soon as they learn them, otherwise their going to be putting their bodies through agony."

"Anyway," Natsu said excitedly, "Here's my proposition..." He unfolded the piece of paper and gave it to Lucy like it was just another job request. The buxom blonde opened her mouth to yell, but Natsu clapped a hand over her mouth and said, "Before you make our ears bleed from making a new magic based around sound," Lucy blushed that her guardian(Sorta) believed she could do something like that when she noticed Natsu's voice was raised slightly, like... _He can't hear properly! I-I-I made him go deaf!_

"Arre you going to let this chance pass you by and slip through your fingers?!" And she just then realized that he'd been talking. Getting his hand away from her mouth, she said in an embarrassed tone, "I, uh, kinda got lost in thought while you were talking...Sorry, could you repeat your little speech-thing?" Natsu then looked ready to hurt her, "I said, 'The reward is a _golden_ Gate Key. You're a Celestial Mage, and you're trying to collect all twelve golden Gate Keys, right? This is your chance to get closer to that goal! Are you going to let this chance pass you by and slip through your fingers?!'"

He held a fire in his eyes, determination to help her while helping himself, "Why are you trying to help me? I know my mother asked you to, but you didn't want anything to do with me when we met. What's your angle?!" Lucy's question was met with a growl, "I was following a lead the day we met, and the lead led me to Bora instead of my mate or father, so I wanted nothing more than to be left alone with my hatchling. Anyways, if we do enough of these jobs we can make S-Class before the S-Class Promotional Trials. If that happens, we can do more than just odd jobs and get closer to our goals."

Taking a breathe, he continued, "You want to get all twelve golden Gate Keys, I want to find my mate and Happy's mother. If we get stronger, we can take harder jobs that will get us closer to our goals...A **nd I for one ain't gonna pass up this chance to get stronger!** " His eyes were glowing red, but this red seemed healthy and almost holy in some strange way. "I don't hate you, Daughter of Layla, I hate that your father got too close to the Clock of Infinity. That's another story for another time, right now we need to get some trustworthy friends to come along with us..."

"Aye, sir!" Natsu snapped his fingers, "Happy, you're a genius! I know who we're bringing with us..."

 **Docks of Magnolia, first day of Galuna Job** (Sorta?)

"Why'd you decide that _he's_ a good choice for this job?! And what about the other two? We-" Lucy's protests were silenced when Gray walked towards them over the ice, black markings across his chest and up his neck to his grimacing-in-pain face. "I'm here...Why'd you tell me to go that way, it hurts!" Natsu nodded to the ice path, making the Demon Slayer in-training look as well as everyone else, to see that the ice was either sinking or melting.

" _Salt_ water. We pave sidewalks with mineral salt to melt the ice during the winter, right? Well, I thought, as dangerous as that is to do, that if you were to use ice to walk across the harbor...it might melt quicker. And I was right! Anyway, we're going to Galuna Island." That made Loke usher his paparazzi off, not wanting them to overhear anything, one can never trust one's followers one hundred percent after all.

"Why us, though? I want to woo Lucy as much as ever," Said blonde glared at the glass-wearing womanizer as he finished calmly, "But our team chemistry isn't the greatest, Natsu. We've seen what happens when you and I cross beams..." Gray and Happy shuddered, having seen the two spar before.

"Exactly. Our team chemistry isn't the best, but that's the point. Our differences and flaws overlap each other and stitch together to fill those holes. I'm impulsive and need someone to keep me reeled in, so to speak. Gray's, ironically, hotheaded and emotional when instigated. Lucy has confidence issues, little-to-no combat experience and overthinks most things. Bora's no longer assertive anymore, he's still figuring out what he can do for the guild and magi-wise, and has a great amount of fear concerning our guildmates. Juanda probably hates me at some level still, has trust issues, and has a great deal of emotional turmoil to bare. And finally the lion in the room," No one laughed but Happy, while Loke held his head in his hands,

"I know my scent is like a lion's, but that was just horrible, Natsu." Said fire-breather nodded with a cheeky smile plastered on his face, "I know. Loke is going through something that I think is financial, a womanizer by nature and has a very eccentric personality. But those very problems make us a great team: We've two-and-a-half Slayers, a Light Mage, a Soul-Power Mage, and a Celestial Mage. We've a chance to get this job done better than most do!"

Gray nodded until he realized something, "Who's the 'and-a-half' Slayer? As far as I know, you and I are the only Slayers in this outfit." Natsu began snickering, while the woman in Gypsy garments began to tremble with pent up rage, "You shouldn't talk about people like they're not even there, Demon Slayer!"

"Oh, shit, sorry! I didn't know...Wait, what type of Slayer are you anyway?" To answer his question wordlessly, she moved so that she was closer to the sea, "Sand God's...BELLOW!" A sandstorm of black granules left her now-uncovered mouth and dissipated after a moment, "God Slayer Magic, the second youngest of the three Types. In a sense, Gray, you're the baby brother in this magic trinity!" Natsu's cheeky smile somehow grew into a simple smirk, expressing his playfulness better than a face-breaking grin or smile.

Before anyone could move, a shout came from the guild that sounded like the Master screamed, 'NATSU GET BACK HERE WITH THAT S-CLASS JOB, YOU BRATTY-BASTARD!', making said Dragon Slayer grab a random boat. "All aboard, the S.S. Getaway, everyone?! Come on, life's short for _some of us_!" Loke literally jumped in, soon followed by Juanda, Bora and Happy, "I still hate you, Dragneel, but I might as well make sure you don't die before you figure out a way to do it yourself. Our Magic Class is dying and we've got to watch each other's backs, I guess..."

The pyrovore chuckled, cheekily smiling still, "You know we're friends, besides, I'm hard to hate! If you're gonna rat us out we'll kidnap you!" Gray jumped in while carrying Lucy like luggage, "We're a go, now, how are we getting there?!" "Simple: Bora's flames!" The blue haired man sent flames to Natsu, getting him to eat them before growling, "Fire Dr **agon's...ROAR!...rrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHH!** " And they were off, the force from Natsu's blast sending them forward at a speed no one was prepared for, making the bandanna-acting-as-a-veil-for-Juanda's-lower-face fly off into Bora's outstretched hand. "Thanks..." He just nodded, being right behind her at the front and the only one to see her face un _veil_ ed.

Her spiky, burnt orange hair looked like fire as the wind flew past them, "I can only get us so far, and then we have to walk the rest of the way to Hargeon. There we'll find a man who can get us to Galuna Island, any questions?! **Fire Dragon's Roar! rrRRAAWWHH!** " They were making great time, being about fifteen minutes in already and about half a mile away from the harbor.

 **Two hours later, four miles away from Hargeon**

"We're making great time, it's about five and we're almost there!" Bora's optimistic attitude wasn't unfounded, but Lucy was less than enthused about the amount of progress they'd made, "Why does it have to be so far?! Why couldn't you have kept going, Natsu?!" Said salmon-headed prankster looked to his charge like it was obvious with bored eyes, "I need to conserve my energy for the battles we're going to be getting into. And Bora needs to be able to use his magic to do more than feed me, that'd be a waste if any of us were worn out before we got there, don't you think? Dragon Slayers and God Slayers can produce magic when using magic, it's a byproduct of the energy we make for our specific element. Like our namesake, we are beings of magic and nature, so we feel a connection to certain environments, temperatures and other things of the sort while also generating pure magic energy within ourselves."

Juanda picked up, "But we can't use the pure, unadulterated energy we generate because it doesn't coincide with our natural element, so we have to use our magic sparingly or we're putting ourselves at risk. Besides, it's not that bad, it's just four miles. Jeez, and I thought _desert heat_ was annoying, but this chick's complaining is driving me crazy..." Gray spoke up now, still learning fundamental pieces of Slayer Class Magic, "What separates the each type of Slayer, anyways? Aren't we all just slayers of each other's namesake?"

Natsu tripped and landed on his face, while Juanda walked right into a tree. "Ungh! No, we're not all killers of each other's quarry. Each Slayer Type uses spells unique to that Type and element. Also, each type is trained in ways of a specific slaying style. God Slayers, like myself, are taught to use the elements of gods..." She rose her hand to about eye level and let black sand swirl in her palm, "The gods use once pure elements now tainted with their age, making the elements turn black and fatal against mortals. Dragon Slayers can eat a God Slayer's element as long as it corresponds to their natural element and as long as they're stomach's are empty."

The one who brought the group together continued for her, "Demon Slayer Magic was created by mortal men and women, hoping to attain the power of beings more powerful than they. But they were not fools, for they understood that a dragon or god must teach a human of their own free will to make said human a Slayer. So to remove this obstacle, these bold men and women began training in the hunting and slaying of demons that had taken to a path of evil. Those who trained to do this also learned how to use their negative emotions to power their magic, making their spells more akin to Curses than simple magic. It's partly why those marks spread across your skin, Gray." Now, the Son of Silver was interested, "What do you mean?"

Lucy answered with a dictionary definition, "Curses are spells powered by raw emotions, normally negatively-influencing emotions such as rage, sorrow, hate, jealousy, etc. But I don't see how that would be a problem, since we all have those emotions?" Natsu chuckled, "You're right, Lucy, that's what Curses are. But the first Demon Slayers made this type of magic, so it was an imperfect science at first, and to top it off, normal humans can't use Curses unless they train vigorously in the art for great amounts of time. Those who have great amounts of some emotions Lucy mentioned, like myself who have experienced them in near unbridled amounts, have a close equivalent to a Curse. That's what my bloody tears and black flames are: a half-assed Curse."

Picking back up from where she left off, Juanda finished, "So all Slayers are close to each other in how they work, but they are nowhere near the same. You use Ice-Make and Ice Demon Slayer Magic, a good combination, but your body hasn't healed from training to use your emotions as a powersource yet. So stick to using normal spells until you feel that your body is healed." Gray looked at her strangely now, "But, I feel fine, so...?"

Natsu snickered, "Not physically, Gray, psychologically. You're mentally healing from the training. It wasn't vigorous, but it's taxing on the mind. That's why Slayers are prone to madness. That and we have long lives, but Demon Slayer Magic carries the weight heaviest. Mortal men and women, learning to use their raw emotions as fuel for their spells, that'd drain anyone mentally. But that's all speculation, Juanda and I can't tell you everything we know 'cause it might not apply to Demon Slayer Magic..." Gray, Lucy and Bora hit the ground facefirst at that moment.

"B-B-But, you sounded so sure of yourselves?!" Juanda nodded, not looking back to him, "Sure we did, but we're only telling you what we understand from speculating, researching and gut-feeling. That's all we can do at the moment with our Class nearing extinction..." Gray just stared at them, he'd been under the impression that Natsu knew everything concerning Slayer Class Magic, but now his theory had just been dashed like broken glass.

"That'll teach me to believe everything I'm told..." Gray's glum expression made the others laugh, eventually cheering him up enough to laugh himself. This job was doing them some real good...

 **Boat to Galuna Island, midnight**

"I...hate water..." The complaining didn't come from Natsu, who was sitting with his head over the edge with puffed cheeks trying to hold back vomit, it was Juanda this time. "Why are _you_ complaining? I thought that of all of us, you'd be fine." Lucy's quip made the Gypsy-garbed woman glare at her, "Desert-dweller...not sea-fairer-Mgh!-the boat's rocking makes me sick...Ugh!" She laid her head against the edge of the boat, in case she needed to hurl, getting Bora to rub her back comfortingly.

Happy, being raised by the obnoxious Natsu and the Strauss siblings, piped up to Bora, "You lliiiikkkkeee her!" The feline was then bopped lightly on the head by the rower accidentally, "Sorry, little guy, but you're kinda in the way of my rowing." "Sorry, Mister." "It's fine, but I'd suggest moving towards the back of the boat where you're less liable to get hit again." "Aye, sir!" The sound of Natsu vomiting interrupted the pleasantries, "I hope he'll be alright once I get you to Galuna Island. It's been odd with everyone forgetting their true species, the moon turning-" A distant voice could be heard by the group, saying proudly, 'PURPLE!'.

"...Yeah, that. And the earthquakes that keep occurring. It's all very strange, and-Whoop, looks like we're hear. I'd better spread my wings..." The man transformed from an average-enough looking man into a demonic creature with wings, purple skin, dark purple spots, horns, and above-averagely-sized hands. "That's better! Now, to the village before I forget myself too." Getting off the boat slowly, Juanda and Natsu soon found their land-legs again as well as their suspiciously-missing-sea-stomachs.

"Yeah...let's follow, Bobo was it?" The demon nodded with a smile at Gray, "Let's get this over with, I feel something evil's here...and it's big!" Bobo strode ahead of them, looking to Gray uneasily at certain points until the Ice-Make Mage was kind of unsettled, "Is there something on my face or am I making the air too cold?"

"None," He said a little too quickly, "of those things! It's just...I'm a demon, as are the rest of the island's inhabitants, and I sense demon magic inside of you like Devil Slayer would have. It just makes me uncomfortable, is all." Lucy piped up now, curiosity in her eyes, "I thought the name of that type of magic was 'Demon Slayer', or is it just a difference in translation?"

Bobo nodded to her, "It is called that, but not everyone likes to hear someone is out to slay them, so we demons call them Devil Slayers. Not all demons are evil like in most campfire stories or folklore, we are as good and evil as any human. There are some demons who would risk the Balance and try to do evil things, yes, but not all of us are evil monsters trying to destroy the world and upset the Balance."

"It's a comfort thing, Lucy. Like something I might show you if..." Loke was then put at arm's length by the blonde, "Nope." "A Ce-" "Oh, Look! We're here!" Their guide took the hint as a pair of demons called down, "Who goes there?" Everyone groaned at that while Bobo called back up to them, "Can't you think of something more original to shout, Erinthre? It's me, Bobo, and I've brought us some help from Fairy Tail."

The sound of murmurings could be just barely heard from above the large gate of sharpened logs, "How do we know it's you?!" A tickmark grew on their guide's left horn while Natsu growled deeply before roaring, " **YOU WANT TO BE BURNED TO HELL?! 'CAUSE I'M FULL OF FIRE IN MY BELLY TO GIVE YOU A FREE ASSKICKING FOR THE PRICE OF ONE!** " And the gates were hastily opened. Bobo nodded with a contemplative grin on his face as he said, "Nice..."

"AAHHH-" One of the villagers who had screamed was stabbed in the chest, but the knife used didn't draw blood, "Oh, right, hehehe..." Though there was no blood, the sight still made Lucy nauseous and made the rest of the group have wide eyes, "That a normal occurrence at the moment?!" Happy's question was met with an answer from an old voice, "Yes, ever since the moon began turning-" Once again, the _very_ far-off sound of a muscular man screaming the word 'purple' could be faintly heard.(I mentioned it 'fore in the last chapter, but I wanted to use in just one more chapter 'cause of the comedic effect)

"...Yes, that. Our memories are being clouded and our forms are being forced upon us by this light that shines down upon us." The chief of the village, a short, old demon with blue skin and enormous sideburns that reached from his head to his hips. "JESUS CHRIST, WHAT HUGE SIDEBURNS! TRULY THERE ARE FORCES BEYOND OUR UNDERSTANDING AT WORK HERE!" "Um, hehehe, my father's sideburns are naturally grown that large..." Bobo's words made Natsu's jaw close and he smiled sheepishly, "My bad, sorry. Please continue."

The group looked to the sky and saw that the moon was indeed a beautiful shade of violet, "So, you want us to destroy the moon?" Moka, the chief, hit tripped on nothing and hit the ground with his face, "I would have asked you to had I not been with my memories. All I ask is for you to find the _reason_ this is happening, search the entire island and find what plagues our home, please."

"Gotcha: find the reason the moon's changing color, figure out how to reverse it, and if all else fails, destroy the moon! Piece of cake." Natsu was then slammed into the ground by a spear of black sand after everyone heard the call of, "Desert God's Anhur! That outta shut him up for a little while. I'm pretty sure we should start our search in the morning since Dragneel is out cold."

"Yes, I am not surprised that you say that. The moon has that effect on many of us as well as we begin to forget, but being human in this case must make it even more heavy. Rest tonight and begin your search tomorrow, we too need our rest..." The group dragged Natsu over to a spot next to the gate and woke him up, "Come on, Dragneel, I remember being told that you could dig tunnels pretty well, but right now we need you to dig us bedrooms for the night."

Bora's words did nothing but stir him in his sleep, getting Gray to do it the old fashioned way, "Wake up, Natsu, and dig some holes or your mate isn't going to get anything done." As Gray spoke the first part of the sentence he chuckled out the word, 'phrasing', and then punched the Ice-Make Mage in the throat, "I hate it when you do that. Getting my hopes up and then killing them like that. Alright, I'll start digging..." And true to his word, he began to do as he was asked.

The dirt was set aside for when they were done using the rooms to sleep in, while most of it was burnt and broken down. It was about ten minutes in and he got four rooms made. Each room's entrance was big enough to crawl in, and the inside was only big enough for two and to army crawl through, but that's when the occupants for the first room, Juanda and Bora, noticed that there was an opening big enough for them to fit their heads in shaped like a bowl.

"Hey," Natsu peeked his head in, looking like a total idiot above ground with his torso shoved down a hole in the ground, "I made those little openings above you in case of flooding so that there's an airpocket like for a grease trap in the average home's sink. Pleasant dreams..." He yawned the last part, before being blasted out of the burrow by a wave of black sand, sending him out of the hole and hitting his head on Loke's chin. The man with glasses, having lost his balance thanks to Juanda's sand wave, bumped into Lucy who was looking into one of the burrows, making her fall in and he soon followed after being pushed in.

"Well, that was easier than I expected it would be," Natsu rubbed his head sorely, "I'm also gonna go with 'ow'. You can use the last burrow, I'll be out here a while..." Gray nodded and crawled into the burrow Natsu had dug out, leaving the salmon-headed pyrovore to his thoughts and his son, "You're thinking about Limama again, Paatsu?"

 _No matter how much I try to, I can never hide anything from my son..._ "Huuuuhhh, yeah...Still can't get her out of my head, and what Aria said won't stop repeating up in my empty skull. What if Galuna Island's the island we'll find the clue to her whereabouts?" Happy looked to the starry sky, seeing constellations staring back at them, "I guess we've no choice but to wait and find out, Patsu. She always said..."

 **Flashback, two years ago, a few minutes until sunset**

"Paatsu," Happy called, running to the confused, salmon-haired prankster. "they're after me again!" Natsu's slitted eyes narrow and he growls, getting down from his 'thinking spot' in the tree next to his house to stand in front of Happy as a small gang of delinquents come to a stop in front of the sign. "Hand over our dinner and you won't get hurt!" Said the first one, most likely the leader.

Natsu saw red at that moment, as if making his boy run and fly for his life was bad enough they just had to have a reason behind it besides cruelty. Clenching his fists to the point that the sound of skin stretching and knuckles popping could be heard, he set fire to his hands and rocketed into the first guys stomach feet first, making it look like he was defying physics like a spider does on a day-to-day basis.(The scum who tried eatin' Happy are delinquents, and obviously uneducated, so to them spiders defy physics 'cause they don't know shit)

The next guy to get hurt was the one in the back, only his cry was muffled by a large, padded, feline paw over his mouth. He was then slammed into the ground and saw long, silver hair belonging to a whiskered girl in a striped two-piece bikini with a belled choker around her neck. The girl was glaring frozen pointy things at him, until she kicked him crotch, "Root!"

She punched him in the abdomen, "Splenic, nya!" Even though she sounded cute, somewhat silly with the cat talk, and looked downright sexy, the guys were all afraid of her. Even a rage-filled Natsu was cautious around his beloved when she got like this, which was rare and terrifying.

Natsu punched the guy next to him in the weakest part of the body while Lisanna did the same, "Solar Plexus/Plexus, mreow!" They spun so that the were on both sides of the same guy, whom they kicked with their shins in the center of the chest/upper back area, "Heart/Heart!" They passed each other as they used the one they just hurt as a post to flip off of, before landing with their one leg outstretched. When they landed their respective outstretsched leg's heel hit the back of two guys necks, "Throat/Throat, meow!"

One of the guys ran in between them while their backs were turned to him, hoping to catch them off guard, when they spun around to stand on their hands and shoved a foot into the guy's forehead and the back of his head respectively, "Third Eye/ **Eye!** " Jumping with their arms propelling them upwards, they landed on top of the guy's head in a pose that was used normally for a Unison Raid, "Crown, nyao/ **Crown...** " The two of them didn't notice, but everyone else did, the resounding crack from the guys neck being snapped that came from the combined weight of two human beings dropping onto his head.

Those who remained were scared stiff, until Natsu's half-shadowed face revealed a glowing, red eye that promised to destroy them if they didn't leave quickly. They ran for their lives, screaming for their mothers to save them, when Natsu decided to forego kindness and prepared to turn the running-in-fright-delinquents. That is until his wife(Minus paperwork an' the ring) stepped right in front of his line of fire(See what I did there) with arms reaching to her sides as a defensive gesture, "Let them live, Honey, nya. They won't do it again, we can be sure of that, but don't kill them, mreow."

Her mate's grimacing let a hiss of gas leaking be heard, before he growled and stopped the sound and roared to the sky angrily. She waited for his tantrum to end patiently, like she always did when something like this happened, and was rewarded for her patience in the form of Natsu relaxing enough for her to embrace him lovingly.

"Our baby's safe," She said this, and as if to prove her point, Happy crawled up Natsu's 'sleeping jeans' leg to nuzzle against his head. "The bad men are gone," The natural calm of the area they lived in surrounded them, "And no one has to die. Today was a good day." Natsu nodded, holding the love of his life closer, taking in her scent and nuzzling into her hair, "But I keep worrying about you leaving tomorrow. I keep fearing that tomorrow won't be a good day...That you might-"

She kissed him, ultimately shutting him up long enough for her to come up with something that will ease his troubled thoughts. "If something happens to me, you'll do everything you can to save, find or avenge me. Remember that line from one of your greatest hits you made for me?"(Hits=poems in this case, cause he hates his singin' voice and his poetry writin' wasn't known at the time) He nodded with a nostalgic smile, "'Love transcends all boundaries, it is a pair of wings that will never let you down. It will never let the jewel that is thy own heart fall from your crown. No mountain can deter it, no sea can drown it, no valley can drop it. If ever you feel sad, alone, hurt or in pain, in your lap to comfort you it shall sit.'...Yes, I remember. All too well, do I remember the line that made you want to eat catnip so that you'd be high enough to act stupid."

His smile turned from nostalgic to lecherous as he caught scent of his mate's arousal, said scent made Happy run into a bush he'd cleaned up for situations like this. He growled deeply within his chest, making a reptilian 'purr' of sorts while Lisanna rolled her tongue in an 'r' sound and purred all too arousedly.

"You...me..." She said between Natsu's chaste kisses on her lips, "bed...now...need you...mreow-Ungh!" He began to lick her neck with his duct tape-thin, forked tongue in a tantalizingly slow manner, "I **s that what you want, is it? Is that what you want?!** " His smug tone of voice only gave her goosebumps, that night was a long one for the two...

 **End flashback**

"Mmmm, that night was a great one." He then noticed his son's haunted expression, "But yeah, I know what you're talking about." Happy still looked somewhat traumatized at the fact that he had caught scent of his mother's arousal and had heard them going at it through the house's walls to the outside world the entire night. He didn't get a wink of sleep that blue moon, and just remembering that part of the day made him become sickly pale.

Unknown to the two of them, the others minus Bora and Juanda had been listening in. Natsu having mentioned what he had done to tease his mate had made a certain blonde excited at the prospect of someone doing that to her. That's when Lucy realized that Loke was still at the top of the tunnel, on top of _her_ really, "...Do you mind?!" Her harsh whisper was caught by the two stargazers.

"...Nope, don't mind at all..." Natsu was then in the tunnel, "If you're going to fuck her, at least make it as silent as possible for the rest of us, Loke." Said Ring Mage got a serious nosebleed at the idea of going at it with the busty beauty underneath him, "No one's going anywhere near my crotch tonight, buster!" She used her elbow to hit Loke's face against the roof of the burrow forcefully.

"Well then, we'll just have to have earmuffs or earplugs tomorrow night then, won't we!" Now outside the burrow, Natsu began chuckling at the pissed blush Lucy sported as he could see colors in the dark like a dragon. (Eyes have 'rods' and 'cones' at the back that translate light for our eyes. Rods allow us to see black and white, while cones let us see in color and. Geckos have large cones, and in this story so do dragons so they can see in the night. Only drawback for this eyesight of enormous cones with few to no rods: Don't see black or white easily, so if ye've got a white baseball bat they won't see it comin' right away)

That night Natsu slept under the stars, with two individual stars shining brighter than the rest like a pair of eyes. The two stargazers dreamt of eyes glowing icy-blue, wings of scale and burning, tails of black steely iron, wing-like horns, and smooth, yet jagged scales. It was in the morning that they started their search, and they started in the most likely place on the island: The forbidden ruins.

"What are you doing in the clock, Lucy?" Said blonde was inside of Horologium again, only for reasons that were unfounded with the sun beaming down on them. "We don't know what's on the island, and I don't want to take any chances with an island of unknown dangers!" Happy looked to her like she was crazy but let it be for now, "Alright."

"The environment here isn't that different from a regular forest of the mainland, but the animals I've caught sight and scent of aren't familiar in any way to me. So your fear isn't unfounded." That's when a gigantic, blue rat wearing pieces from a French maid's outfit, "Well...didn't see that coming. Who wants to take the giant rat?" As if on cue, Gray said, "Ice-Make Floor!" The ground was covered in a layer of ice, making the rat trip and fall on its back where it couldn't get back up.

"That answered your question. Now, let's get back to the job, I don't want to stay here longer than necessary." Natsu nodded to Loke, understanding his reasoning because humans died quicker than Slayers, "Yeah, I smell something here but I can't tell what it is. The scents of the fauna and flora, as well as the smell of demons is overpowering the strange scent. All I can get is that it's ancient, and cold...I also smell something else, but that scent is indiscernible with all the others and it's making me feel on edge."

"I feel it too, something old is buried deep in this island, something that shouldn't be..." Juanda's words got Gray suspicious, making him look to the sky in thought, "What could make the moon change color and get two Slayers on edge..." The rat began to make noise, getting the group to run for the temple.

Natsu suddenly took a deep breath through his nose, opening his closed eyes to narrow them at a seemingly innocent-enough patch of floor. "...The scent...it's here...but there's something wrong with this spot. It feels," He knocked on the stones, getting them to fall with him on top, "SHIT!" Nearing the wall, he sank his claw-like nails into the dirt walls of the hole, making him grunt in pain from the stones he scraped against.

"'You okay, Natsu?!' She declares." The Dragon Slayer grunted as he got his talon-like, bare feet in the wall as he called up, "'I'm fine! Just a little preoccupied', I call back! The smell is stronger here and the presence feels closer down here, come down here as carefully as possible...I'm going down, YOLO!" He fell backwards, his playful grin saying all they needed to know as he turned to face the ground before sending energy near the spot he'd have wings, stopping his impending death.

"...Holy Shit...YOU GUYS HAVE GOTTA SEE THIS!" The others exchanged glances before doing as he asked. They were in for a shock, but near the harbor of Magnolia there was something moving in the water, and it was big. This animal was bipedal if its legs with webbed feet were any indication. Its wings looked like large fins in the place of arms, and its streamline body was built for underwater life. The creature's face was very piscine with beady eyes, gills near the hinge of the jaws, its arrowhead-shaped skull and the fin on top of its head. On its back was another fin, like a fold-up fan but larger and made of fish-like scales. The tail was paddle-like and there was a fin on the top and bottom of its long tail. The creature's entire length was eight feet long. The creature's scales were a rainbow of different colors. As it swam near the shoreline, fish swam too close to its head and were eaten swiftly as it roared, making all of the fish swim for their lives and making the boats on the surface rock...

 **XXXXXXXX**

That's a wrap ladies, gents and other. I don't have anythin' to really say off the top of my head. So as always: R&R, no flamin' my ass, constructive criticism, and SEE YE-GOOD NIGHT!


	11. A devil's rage and a devil's demise

Whaz up ladies, gents and other! I'm sorry 'bout the lack of action last chapter, but there's a method to my madness. A method I've yet to figure out myself. Yeah, I'm that pitiful. I'm bringin' Loke's origin in soon, don't worry 'bout that, it's just gonna come 'round after the shit on Galuna Island goes down. I don't own Fairy Tail, I've come to accept this an' I'm okay with this fact.

 _Thoughts or emphasis_

'Paraphrasin'

"Normal speech"

" **Draconic speech** "

 **XXXXXXXXXXXX**

The ice before them was humongous and the demon trapped within was just as massive, "Deliora! What in the Hell is it doing here?!" Natsu began sniffing around, and suddenly found footprints, "These are fresh," He said as he felt the grain, "and with the scents of several people I'd say we came here at just the right time. The ice is melting, and I've not touched it. And there's...something else I smell..." His eyes closed as he concentrated on the one scent that was buried beneath the rest, finding it and memorizing it.

"Well? What is it?!" Natsu sighed as he got up with the sounds of joints popping, "I smell an Old Spell, probably as old as Slayer Magic, and that's saying something. This magic is hard to describe, but when you get right down to it...it smells like...new life and decaying bodies. Then there's the smell of...could it be perhaps...?!" He wiped the fogging away from the iceberg's surface, finding a human being. "...That's where you've been all this time," Everyone stared at his solemn expression curiously, "Ur..."

Gray was at his side in an instant, "What?! It can't be!" And when he saw her, he had tears in his eyes at her sleeping, contented expression on her face. "Natsu," Receiving a grunt of acknowledgement, he continued with a haste not seen by the others, "melt the ice! I need you to thaw her out, if there's a chance she's alive, I'm taking it." Natsu nodded and hissed as gas began to leak from his mouth, letting Gray know to move aside, as the pyrovore began to breath natural fire on the ice to free the frozen Mage.

"Bora," The ex-slavetrader looked up and stood at the ready for orders, "help him how you can, please." He nodded to the distraught Devil Slayer-in-training. Standing next to the fire-breathing-salmon-head, Bora began to send flames towards the woman encased in ice, a serious expression on his face as he didn't want to burn her.

"Alright, Devil Slayer, what's the deal with the devil taking an ice nap?" Juanda's suspicious tone made Gray glare at her, "This is Deliora, Devil of the Northern Continent! It's destroyed countless cities and lives. This isn't _just_ a devil, Juanda, this is a monster! I could never get enough magic energy to prepare the Iced Shell when I was trained by Ur, but I understand that this iceberg is like a shed skin. The caster's body becomes encased in the ice they made from their body, in a sense, trapping the sorry bastard inside the caster's body. If we get her out, we can destroy the ice and shatter Deliora within."

That's when they heard voices, "I'm telling you, guys, I heard someone talking from in here..." Gray, Lucy, Juanda, Happy and Loke ran over to the 'defreezers' and tackled them to make them stop melting the ice, "...shhhhh...!" "I know you are, and I do not doubt you, as Angelica was hurt by horrible people. The intruders have hurt our hunter scouring the forest for us, they have hurt our love!" The curvaceous, pink haired young woman said this like she was an actress, making the large eyebrowed boy with spiky hair and dog-dressed young man sweatdrop.

Natsu sniffed the air, "...not a dog, just a guy with an interesting fashion sense. Also, not natives, foreigners to this island. And all three of them reek of magics I've not come across before, keep your wits about you and stay on guard..." They nodded to Natsu's whispered warning as Happy whispered back a simple, 'Aye'.

That's when the ceiling was illuminated by a violet light as a beam of moonlight came from a magic circle, "It has begun..." (*I look to the audience, then look back to the group* 'Huh.' That's a reference to Robin Hood: Men in Tights to any of ye who don't know) The three of them were fully visible to those who couldn't see in the dark like Happy and Natsu.

The buxom, pink haired young woman had bright blue eyes that reflected the ice's glowing. Her hair was tied into pigtails, her neck was adorned with a choker tied into a ribbon, and a short, purple and pink spaghetti dress with pink trimmings was her clothing. She wore black leggings and high heeled sandals with her dress, with two long and thin wings at the back of her dress. A breeze came down a staircase they'd come from, giving Natsu and Happy a better sense of the three's individual scents.

"...If Erza had our sense of smell...that girl'd be eaten by the Titania...And," Natsu took a few more sniffs, opening his eyes and smirked, "...she's got a God Slayer's scent on her, an old flame perhaps...?" The next one to be focused on was the dog-boy. His physique was lean, mildly muscular, and of average height. He had dog ears sitting on his head, a small dark nose, and his lower face was colored differently, similar to a canine's muzzle. His hair was straight, shoulder length and brown. He had an intricate tattoo on his right arm and a less impressive tattoo on his left arm. His jeans were all he wore as actual clothes.

"...the dog-boy smells of a toxin of some sort..." Natsu sniffed quietly, "...not much else to tell you besides he doesn't seem that smart..." The slim, blue haired young man with bushy eyebrows was wearing a green coat that reached downward to his knees. His pants were dark, loose and tighter around the ankles while his shoes were nondescript and light colored. Natsu sniffed, eyes closed to focus in on his scent, when he opened his now narrowed eyes and growled lowly.

"...I can't..." He stopped, hesitance and uncertainty in his eyes, "...I can't find his scent..." Happy then piped up, "...look for his magic scent, I know it's hard, but give it a shot 'cause I think I've found it..." Natsu nodded, a growl still in his throat. Taking a few more whiffs of the air, he smirked ferally, "...found you bastard!...he smells of pure energy, like the kind Juanda and I generate as a byproduct of our abilities...I've no idea why I can't find his normal scent, but with his magic surrounding pure energy...I've a pretty good guess...The Wave..."

Juanda, Bora, and Happy tensed up in fear, while Natsu's growl deepened to the point that it was barely audible, but still there. "...who's," Lucy whispered, "...the Wave...?" The sounds of footsteps nearing them got them silent, mostly because Happy covered Lucy's mouth with his paws while everybody lowered themselves to the ground more.

"What is it Toby? Something the matter?" Said dog-boy looked seriously to the spot he'd thought he'd heard something, "Hmm...No, just my imagination. But the Cold Emperor will be pleased. She's almost out, looks like the Moon Drip has almost freed Miss Ur!" He finished with a smile, seeing the form of the frozen Ice-Make Mage almost freed. The other two practically ran to his side to see if he was joking, "Are you serious, Toby?!" "I feel such love in my heart knowing that she will be free soon!" Toby smiled to his two cohorts happily, "See, the ice is melting faster than usual, tonight must be a Blue Moon or something, possibly a Blood Moon if we're lucky! And if so, we might see the Cold Emperor's master in no time at all..."

"This was worth the lack of sleep to see, this is wonderful news. The Cold Emperor will be pleased. Let's go, he must be made aware of this!" They ran up the stairs, excitement in their eyes that they could save a life while destroying the one that hurt so many, them included. Once the trio left, Natsu and Bora returned to melting the ice, "Gi **ve us a few more minutes...hhhhhhhsssssss-Haaaaaaahhhhh!** "(He's usin' natural fire breathin', so it's a hissin' sound and not a roar)

"And to answer your question, Lucy, the Wave is the name of a magic spellset and a mage's title. Looks like we came across an interesting group of adversaries, but I've never heard of this 'Cold Emperor' before now. Any of you have a clue as to who they're talking about?" Juanda, Bora, Loke, Gray and Natsu shook their heads no.

"Hmm, well we'd best wait for something to happe-" A purple magic circle appeared on the ceiling, sending a beam of purple light down to the iceberg before them. Suddenly, the ice around Ur melted, making Natsu and Bora stop burning the air abruptly for fear of hurting the unconscious woman. Checking her pulse at her wrist and neck, all the while looking at a stop watch he had, Loke said, "She's stable, but with how long she's been in that ice and from how frail she feels. We need to get her somewhere to heal fast or she might not make it, _now_!"

Juanda snapped her fingers, "Our power!" Everyone looked to her curiously before Natsu saw what she meant, slapping himself in the forehead like he was stupid, "Of course, the magic we make as a byproduct of our abilities can be used to keep her stable for long enough to get her somewhere safer!" Taking spots right next to the sickly-pale woman, they coursed energy to her in their respective way. Natsu began to breath a haze of colors down onto her body, being absorbed on contact, while Juanda channeled it to her hands and placed them at Ur's temples, letting her energy heal her internal body parts.

"How long will this take?!" Natsu took a breath, he was expelling energy as well as air from his lungs so he needed to breath, "A couple minutes if we're not interrupted. How long ago was the freezing debacle?" Gray responded quickly, "X774." The fire breather returned to healing the woman at their feet, more vigor than before.

"We have to hurry then, she's absorbing a lot of energy to restore her body, and that's in case we aren't interrupted. Go, Dragneel, I can take care of her myself. I've enough energy to keep her alive, find out why they're trying to free the devil taking an icenap!" Stopping, Natsu nodded with a stern expression, "Gotcha. C'mon, guys, let's get this shit done."

Gray, Lucy and Happy nodded and followed after him, leaving Loke and Bora with Juanda to make sure no one interfered.

 **Temple roof, midnight**

"What do they think they'r-Mph!" "Zip it, Gray!" Natsu's hand was covering Gray's mouth as he whispered out in a growl, "...we've company..." As if on cue, the three from earlier and a man garbed in a cape and helmet walked from another staircase, "Are you sure?! Could she really be alive after all this time?!" A man wearing a mask landed in front of him, "She is very much alive, Cold Emperor, she is thawing as we speak."

Natsu took a few whiffs of the air, making his eyes narrow as he let go of Gray's mouth and lunged at the short man's throat with an open claw-like hand. Having caught them off guard, he grabbed the short man's throat and tightened his grip, "Y **ou! What's your game...D-** " "DON'T SPEAK THAT NAME NEAR ME!" A feminine voice left the short man's throat as he transformed into a voluptuous pale-skinned, purple haired, brown eyed woman.

"How'd...you know it...was me...Salamander...?! I masked everything...even scent..." Natsu smirked triumphantly, "You see, Daughter of Ur," Everyone's eyes widened, "You masked everything, with your magic. And even magic has a unique scent...And _**yours**_ **!** " He tightened his grip on the woman in a skin tight battle outfit with a proud smirk on his face as she glared at him, " **Yours...smells like a fresh babe's skin and decomposing materials, so it's not hard to recognize, Daughter of Ur. I also...** " Taking a few more whiffs, he smiled kindly at her, " **...smell blood. You've lost much, kid, and it must weigh you down heavily. The scent of energy surrounds you as well, meaning you know Possession as well. I learned it on accident, but that's not the point is it...the point is the devil below and that we've two and a half Slayers with us, as well as someone's personal Slayer. Isn't that right, Rat-Tamer?** "

Sherry looked to him, acknowledging his question with a nod of affirmation, "Yes, and the Magic Council shall not have her!" Natsu nodded with a soft smile on his lips, " **Good.** " He looked to his captive once more, before he was hit with a spear of ice, " **You take after your mother then, huh, kid?** " She glowered at him, not a word spoken, letting Natsu know that this wasn't a fight of quips.

He sighed, " **And I was hoping for some good conversation from a Seat on the Magic Council...Ah well, better luck next time! Fire Dragon's...ROAR! rrrrrrRRRRRAAAAAWWWWWHHHH!** " The flamethrower-like attack made Ultear jump onto a pillar and send a floating orb at him, "Nice try, Salamander, but you're dealing with a Council Seat now!" Natsu smirked and destroyed the orb, before it was restored in an instant, "Arc of Time, an Old Spell like your own, Salamander."

The surprised look in his eyes turned to hearty laughter, " **Well then, looks like it's a dance, but we'd best leave the children to their games while the adults 'converse' somewhere else...** " She nodded, not wanting anyone getting in her way as they ran of the edge of the temple, taking a free fall where they recommenced their battle. Her orb kept hitting Natsu while his fire kept getting closer and closer to her each time he tried to get at her, " **WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?! WHAT COULD _YOU POSSIBLY_ HAVE TO GAIN FROM THIS?!** " The orb struck him in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him, while allowing him an edge.

"YOU WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND!" When she went to recall the orb, it wouldn't move as Natsu had impaled his hand into the glass ball, " **YOU CAN'T AFFECT LIVING THINGS, 'CAUSE IF YOU COULD, YOU'D HAVE FREED DELIORA BY NOW!** **HAHAHAHA! GOTCHA NOW, DAUGHTER OF UR MILKOVICH!** " And that's when they realized that there was an approaching ground, making their eyes widen, _Maybe acting badass wasn't such a good idea!_

 **Back with those on the roof**

Everyone's mouth was agape with shock from the stupid move on Natsu and his opponent's part, "Well, since Natsu's shown himself..." Gray stepped out from behind the rock they'd hidden behind, glaring at the Cold Emperor, "I'd say it's nice to see you again, Lyon, but I'd be lying." "It's been a long time hasn't it, Gray?" He asked rhetorically as he removed his helmet. Suddenly a fiery apparition and a ghost-like creature passed by the spot Natsu and the strange woman had fallen, fighting in the sky.

"What the Hell's going on?!" Lucy's confusion was heard by the enemy mages, "What have we here, the intruders from earlier who hurt our beloved Angelica!" Sherry said this with a glare, a glare that was beaten by Happy's empty-eyed glower, "You. Will. Learn. Not. To. Screw. With. The. Cat!" One thing went through the three's heads, _Shit, we may have made a mistake..._ The three of them were then chained up by Virgo, "Shall they be punished, Princess?"

Virgo was then knocked down by Natsu's mechanically-moving body as it(He?) was rocketed back onto the roof with the woman not far behind him. Lucy answered with a sweatdrop, "Uh, no, that's alright. Thank you, Virgo." Natsu got up and took up a brawling stance, "Get ready...Daughter of Ur...I don't go easy on people. No matter who they **are!** " The draconic apparition of fire grew larger as it began to beat the ghostly entity that was Ultear's spiritual body, making her body weaken as Natsu began a brawl with her.

"Ice Devil's RUNNING FANG!" Gray lowered his right hand with his left hand gripping his wrist, as a sabercat made of ice grew from his palm and ran at Lyon, leaving a trail of frozen ground and making black markings travel up the Devil Slayer trainee's arm. Lyon's eyes widened immensely, "YOU CAN'T DO THAT! SINCE WHEN ARE YOU ABLE TO MAKE LIVING ICE?!" The saber swung a paw at the other student of Ur, batting him into the wall.

"Ever since..." Gray grunted out painfully, "I chose to follow the path...Ergh! Of THE ICE DEVIL SLAYER! EVER SINCE UR DISAPPEARED I TRAINED WITH MY GUILD, TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO ATONE FOR WHAT I DID, AND I FOUND MY ATONEMENT: TO REVIVE SLAYER CLASS MAGIC!" His saber cat charged again, roaring as the markings moved along the trail it left and caused it to grow larger. Just a second away from striking Lyon the icy feline was shattered by a wave of energy, "DON'T INTERFERE WITH OUR PLANS TO DESTROY DELIORA, FOOL!"

"Sand God's...BELLOW!" A black sandstorm hit Lyon's entourage from behind them, catching them off guard as Juanda called out, "You revive that devil and not even Dragneel or I can defeat it! If two well trained _Slayers_ can't defeat a devil, what makes you think that a simple, mortal man like you could kill him?! The only ones trained for that are Devil Slayers, and ours hasn't even reached a fifth of Deliora's power, you're going to KILL YOURSELF!" Natsu's soul entered Ultear at that moment, making her glow a bright fiery red before he was forced out of her and into his own body.

" **You WENCH! TOYING WITH THESE POOR FOOLS' PAIN TO PLAY THEM AS YOUR PAWNS!** " Ultear entered her own body and said, "Ice-Make: BLOOM!" Giant roses of ice exploded from the ground and sent shards of their petals into Natsu's tough hide, getting him to grunt in pain. Taurus appeared in a flash of light and swung his axe at Ultear from behind, just missing her by a hair. Those who were performing the ceremony were sucked into a twister, courtesy of Loke and his ring.

Ultear and Natsu leapt into an area of the roof that was less than stable, sending them down to Deliora's chamber. During the fall, Natsu got a good grip on the orb he'd impaled with his hand and began to form a sword around it, " **Great thing about Possession Magic: You get to learn from those you posses!** " The Councilwoman before him in their descent had wide eyes as he rocketed towards her and swung continuously, slashing through her armor and drawing blood before they hit the ground, as Natsu acted as a cushion for the woman he fought.

He got up, groggily and painfully, " **Get up...Daughter of Ur, we're not finished yet. Your mother is alive and was as hurt as you were when you were young...Now get up!** " Natsu glared at the panting and bruised woman before him, her defiant eyes made him sneer at her in euphoria of combat that he'd long since abandoned for depression. " **You're not going to give up, that's good...but if that's true, then Get Up! You are from the Magic Council, a group of mages who govern the various guilds of Fiore as well as the other continents that Fiore's touched...Which begs the question,** "

Ultear's eyes didn't waver, but they expressed her curiosity as to what he wanted to asked. " **What,** " He snarled out, " **Happened to the Western Continent?! I know it exists. 'Cause if it didn't then the world would be too small and we wouldn't have all these unique cultural alignments. I 've heard about it from Igneel, the King of Fire Dragons, so I know it exists. So, I'll ask again: WHAT HAPPENED TO IT?!** " His eyes were glowing red, making the Councilwoman before him flinch as he roared his demand.

She wet her lips as she croaked out, "I...don't know. All information on the Western Continent has been erased before I became a Seated member of the Magic Council..." Natsu let gas escape from his throat with a hiss of warning if she were lying. "Now," Ultear said with a groan of pain as she sat up to lean against the wall to recover from Natsu's beating, "Quid Pro Quo...Why did you free her? And more importantly: If she's so important to you-ungh!-why'd you leave her alone when she needs healing?!" Her question was answered by a simple pointing of a sword towards Ur's unconscious form, where Juanda sat as she sent magic energy into the once frozen woman's body.

" **Desert** **God Slayer, one of the few God Slayers left if I'm not mistaken,** " He looked to her and growled deeply. " **Your coworkers made sure of that! The current Magic Council's Chairman and Seated members aren't the ones to have passed the order, but they enforced it with fervor. God Slayers, like their cousins Dragon and Devil Slayers, are rare and their abilities not well known since they can't be taught traditionally by their predecessors. My turn...** " Natsu knelt down to look her in the eye sternly, " **Dragon Lacrima, I need to know the schematics behind them.** "

The look of confusion he received wasn't unexpected, but he held up a claw-like hand before she could ask, " **I need to make sure that everything I know isn't going to be lost the day I die, Daughter of Ur. I** **want,** " He said like an elderly man. " **M** **y knowledge to be remembered. Dragon Lacrima don't just contain elemental energy, they contain the memories within the energy's source. If I die, I want someone to know what I do, so I need to know how to make one.** " She nodded in understanding now, rising with her back against the wall for support.

"You can use Possession, I don't think explaining it verbally will do you any good. I give you permission, but make a wrong move and you're not getting shit!" He chuckled deeply at Ultear's stubbornness, " **I wouldn't expect anything else, Daughter of Ur, Ultear Milkovich.** " Said woman's eyes widened at his use of her name, "How'd you-" And his soul entered her body, reading the darkness in her soul like a book as he found the knowledge he needed. _It should be near my earlier days on the Magic Council._

Her thoughts were heard loud and clear by Natsu as he responded the same way, _Gotcha!_ That's when he found it, a glowing orb of energy within her soul that she 'highlighted' through focus, and his desire for the information it withheld, allowing him the chance to do what he needed. Once he 'swam' closer towards the orb of knowledge in her soul, he opened his mouth wide and ate it, taking the all the information it had with him. He was then shot out of her soul, leaving a pained Ultear Milkovich.

"You...You ate it!" Natsu accidentally burped softly, " **Excuse me. And yes I did, that's the only way I know how to receive information from another's soul. How do you think I can do this?** " He transformed the sword into its original shape as an orb and back again. "But it didn't hurt when you did it for that..." She received a nod from him, " **That's 'cause you weren't in your body when I did that. Your body can operate separately from your soul, but it can only resist so much before it has to pull you back in. I took this,** " Holding the blade up for her to see, he lowered it and continued, " **from the memories your body carried with it like the training, pain, pleasure, hunger, etc. So it wouldn't hurt, but taking knowledge in the crude way I do is painful. Now, I do believe that it's time for you to stop pretending you're actually here.** "

She nodded with a tired smile on her face, "Saw through me that easily, did you? Ergh!" She grunted, getting Natsu to place a hand on her shoulder to stop her from moving too much, "I shouldn't be surprised from a Dragon Slayer...But I must know," Natsu looked to her curiously, "Why did you call me out?" The question made him smirk good-naturedly, "I'm a predator, I call out my prey when I spot it, and I needed to know why you were here...I came to Galuna Island hoping to gain respect from Fairy Tail's S-Class mages, but here I find the teacher of one of my rivals and then I find said teacher's daughter. Couldn't leave you alone as someone else and let the knowledge you hold slip through my claws, and I couldn't stop wondering why you would come here. But now I see that you want Deliora, not for the Council...for something else. Something I couldn't get my jaws on..."

At that moment Ultear saw something- _someone_ -in Natsu's stead, someone powerful and wise, someone she could one day trust. But until that day came, she couldn't trust anyone as she would change history before that day would even be conceived. The figure dissipated and revealed Natsu standing there, staring at her blankly, like he was an executioner or an authoritative figure judging a criminal. "Return to yourself, Daughter of Ur, our match is a draw right now and we need to be at our full strength to defeat one another. So become whole again, so that we might decide who the victor shall be at a later date..." She nodded and faded away into nothingness, leaving Natsu to his thoughts and a patient to attend to.

"Juanda," Said Gypsy-garbed woman looked up to see him staring at her, "How's she doing? Will she make it or do you need a break?" She stared into his eyes as he approached, returning the orb back to normal, as he knelt down to get a better look at the comatose woman Ice-Make Mage before him. "I can keep going. Saved a lot of energy before we came here. And using Desert God's Geb took a lot of energy but made a lot as well, so I'll be alright, thanks for the offer though." He nodded before turning his attention to the frozen devil that had caused so much misery.

 _What could have turned something into this?_ His thoughts were interrupted by an explosion on the roof far above them, "..." The ceiling's integrity was shown as it held, but the sounds of combat continued, "The only way we're gonna see this ended is if we destroy Deliora, but we don't have-" "Yes...we do..." Natsu's somber expression was followed soon after by the shouts of everyone else coming down to the chamber.

"What are you going to do?" Bora's question made Natsu look to him sadly, "I'm going t **o do what I shouldn't: I'm going to go over the deep end...** " He closed his eyes before inhaling deeply, before he was ran crushed by an anthropomorphic cow. " **...** **Damn it...** " Suddenly the ice cracked, making everyone's eyes widen exponentially, "Deliora lives, I'm going to surpass Ur and become the strongest Ice Mage in the world!" "WANNA BET, BUSTER?! Come on, Natsu, let's Full-bust this thing's head open!" Everyone's face hit the floor at that, " **You...Did...guh-ah-wha...** "

"'-Just use my last name as a verb to explain how much I wanna destroy this fucker?', yes. Yes, I did. Now, let's do tHIS!" Natsu got up and stood in front of Gray as a first line of defense, " **You kill the mofo, I'll keep him occupied long enough for you to kill him in one blow. _One blow_ , that's all you're getting 'cause that's all I can manage to give you, got that?!**" Gray nodded and allowed the black markings to crawl up his arms, chest, neck and face.

Deliora's hand reached out of the ice and opened the crack, releasing a deep breath of air as it exited the Iced Shell. As the ice fell, the demon roared to the ceiling like it was the sky when another roar was heard, " **You're probably cold, Let Me HELP WITH THAT! Fire Dragon's...ROAR! rrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHH!** " Natsu's flamethrower-like attack engulfed the demon as he had rocketed to the ceiling for a total-body-covering assault. "Desert God's...BELLOW!" The black sandstorm was joined by another as it revealed two Juanda's, although one had dark and sparkly skin, revealing that it was made of the original Juanda's black sand.

The attacks were joined by Loke's twister, Soul Arrows came from Bora's chest, Lucy's spirits appeared and charged at the demon, a creature as large as Deliora and made of stone rose from the ground with Sherry on its head as it held Deliora still. Sherry looked to Lyon as she called out, "NOW LYON! USE THE LOVE WE'VE GIVEN YOU!" Loke, Bora, the Juandas, Lucy, Virgo, Lucy, Happy and even calm Cancer called out as one, "NOW GRAY!"

But it was Natsu's roar that made Gray let loose the rage he felt, the heartache he'd endured, the tears he'd shed, the hatred he'd boiled in his blood, and the will to destroy! " **GRAY, TAKE THE SHOT! NOW, TAKE IT!** " And he did, "Hah-aaaaaaAAAHHHHHHHHHHH! ICE DEVIL'S RAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" The markings covered him from head to toe, making Lyon and his cohorts' eyes widen in shock, when he released a blizzard of ice, freezing air and snow out of his screaming mouth.

Deliora's eyes widened as it was engulfed in the blizzard's freezingly strong wind, ice crystals, snowflakes and power. Each crystal of ice and each snowflake left a cut, the cold air froze and broke flesh, and the emotional power behind it made it all the more powerful. With one final roar of hatred, Deliora was silenced permanently. The chamber had been frozen over, leaving several individuals freezing but alright, as the shards of what was once a demon shattered on impact from falling on the ground.

"...nngh..." The marks receded from Gray's body slowly and painfully, but they eventually disappeared and left him staggering on his feet. He fell into the waiting arms of one Natsu Dragneel, a kind but stern expression on his face, " **Yo** u did good today, kid, you did good...The moon's still purple, but I've an idea on how to fix that."

 **The village, an hour passed midnight**

Natsu looked to his companions, "Ready everyone?" Receiving nods, he smiled and looked to the sky as he finished eating a brick he'd packed. Gray stood up and made a pillar of about two-and-a-half stories tall, when Taurus grabbed Natsu and threw him into the air as Loke made a twister that propelled the Dragon Slayer higher. When it looked like Natsu wouldn't make it, Happy came up and tossed him up one last time before the fire eater rocketed skyward with one battle cry as scale grew on his arms and around his eyes, " **FIRE DRAGON'S IRON FIST!** "

That one roar initiated his fist to be set alight as he seemingly punched the moon itself, causing cracks to appear in the sky and make Lucy shout, "THE SKY IS FALLING!" Natsu wasn't finished however, " **FIRE DRAGON'S SWORD HORN!** " Headbutting the 'moon' with a fiery silhouette of a sword-horned dragon, more cracks appeared near him until he burst through and slammed the lens-like atmospheric anomaly with one, final, " **...IRON FIIIIIISSSSSSTTT!** " And the moon was no longer purple, while Natsu fell to earth exhausted as he heard a voice in his ear, "...You did good today, sweetheart...you did good..."

His eyes, although tired, widened slightly as looked around expectantly before smiling contentedly. _I'm glad I got today. If I didn't, I wouldn't have had the chance to help these people...Lisanna._ An image of his beloved mate appeared in front of him as the moon, smiling lovingly down to him while he tried to reach her with no no such luck. His smile remained as tears left his eyes, _I hope you know that I'll find you. Someday...somehow...But right now? I need to give up a little._ He smiled happily as he could feel that his mate knew what he was saying, wherever she was.

Three more words were spoken through the passing wind, "...Don't...give...up..." His once closed eyes opened up suddenly, alerting him to the approaching ground. Smiling softly, he thought, _Thank you my love...Time t_ o b **e BADASS!** "(Bad transition between thoughts and speech, I know) He flipped midair and rocketed towards the pillar, where no one was, and he stopped his propulsion so he landed with a loud THUD! His fists landed at the center of the icy pillar, cracking as he smirked playfully, " **Anybody-heh hehehehehe-thirsty?! 'Cause we're about to get a good deal of water coming down!** " The cracks began to flow with fresh water down to the ground, and pooling into the holes he'd made nearby so that they sank on themselves with the dirt on top of them. (With the water weakenin' the burrows' supportive walls, the dirt on top of each burrow is fillin' in the hole that was once a burrow if that makes any sense outside of my head)

The pillar crumbled and melted, making the nearby moonlight-thriving plants grow stronger as the moonlight returned to normal and the water restored them to health. He jumped off and sent fire through his hands, feet and wing-area of the back as he neared the ground with an exhausted, cheeky smile. " **I think we're done...I nap no** w." Natsu was then brought into the fireman's carrying position over Loke's shoulder, "Why am I carrying him?"

"Because, it's a teambuilding exercise to carry the dead weight, Loke!" Lucy's playful jab made him smile forcefully at the weight of Natsu over his shoulders and against his neck, "What a...privilege..." "Thank you for what you've done tonight, as promised, the reward is yours. One golden Gate Key and seven million jewel, as was the reward for the destruction of the purple moon. Now, the moon has yet to set, so I'd suggest you go back to the main land before it does. As you must be tired and homesick." Moka smiled at the group as he handed them the reward before he and the rest of the village went about their everyday(Night?) business.

Thanking him and departing, they were met with one very pissed off Erza Scarlet. In the canyons near Clover Town: the second-to-last of the strange creatures awoke within its cave. This one much bulkier than the others, spikier too. Its eyes glowed an earthy green, its neck had what appeared to be vines hanging downward, and its hide was covered in spiky-rock-like scales that leaned towards its tail. The creature's tail was also spiked, but these spikes were sharper than the others on its body. The creature had four, sturdy legs that had spikes of their own. The hindlegs had two spikes at the ankles per leg while the forelegs had two spikes at the elbows for both. This animal had a grey-ish color to it, minus the moss and vines that grew on and around the crevices on its body. Three reasonably large claws were attached to each foot. Its beak was sharp and made to pierce flesh while its teeth were small for clean bites of food yet they were very sturdy. Its underbelly looked nondescript, but even that was thick. Its nostrils flared as it stepped out of its two story-tall cave to reveal it was a story-and-a-half tall(It's pretty big compared to the others. The last one's just got a bit of a longer body 'cause it's made for underwater). Looking to nothing in particular, it roared deeply and charged, making the world fade to black...

 **XXXXXXXXXXX**

That's a wrap ladies, gents and other! I'm sorry if the fight wasn't great, I'm still not good with long drawn out battles. I can see what I wanna write, but I just can't write it down very good. If anyone's figured out the pattern(If there's one in the first place) with my little cliffhangers, don't tell anyone please and good job! No complainin' 'bout how long the entire fight an' shit was! The original Galuna Island Arc only took one night, I kept it that way and gave a bit of timelapse instead of havin' the moon hang in the center of the sky the whole time. There're gonna be questions on why Natsu and Happy've heard Lisanna's voice while no one else's, an' I prepared for this. The simple answer's this: Natsu's soul is in two places at once, meanin' Lisanna's got a connection to 'im that's deeper than anythin' else on Earthland. So, with Natsu and Happy bein' the ones Lisanna loves the most, she uses that link to speak to them.

But it's _very taxin'_ on the mind, body, soul and magicka(Just to make it easier to say than 'magical energy') flow. So she can't use it all the time, but she's able to experience what Natsu does through him as that's easier than sendin' your voice through your own soul into another world. I'm glad no one's flamed me yet, and I say yet 'cause I know someone will! But I'm glad no one's been a prick to me 'bout the pairin' and shit. I'm also sorry if the emotional atmosphere wasn't...what it usually is. I was goin' through a bit of depression that hindered my writin' abilities and creativity. If ye really wanna know what it's 'bout, the depression I mean, please PM me an' I'll explain it to ye 'cause I don't want to dishearten everyone who reads the shit I write.

Another thing I wanna cover, well more like ask: Did I explain what was happenin' with Natsu meltin' the pillar and that stuff alright? 'Cause if not, I really need to work on my explanatory abilities, like woo! If this series feels a little rushed, it's 'cause it kinda is, and I'm sorry 'bout that 'cause I'm not tryin' to rush it by. The reason I started writin' this story was 'cause I kept gettin' ideas about the Edolas Arc and onward, so I started writin' a story. But I learned early on what happens when ye start a story at the middle of a canon show(s)'s timeline and what the reception is, so I'm startin' at the beginnin'...Yet, when I started writin' this story, I had _absolutely no_ ideas for the first few arcs. If I haven't covered any of your questions, leave a constructive review or PM me and I'll answer to the best of my ability.

With nothin' else I can think of to talk 'bout: R&R, no flamin' my ass, constructive criticism, and SEE YE-GOOD NIGHT!


	12. Key to the Stars' Crimson

Whaz up ladies, gents and other! SHIT'S GOIN' DOWN FOR THE LOKE ARC 'ERE, KIDS, PUT ON YouR ADULT PANTS, PANTIES, BRAS, SPEEDOS OR WHATEVER ELSE THE FUCK Ya'VE GOT! 'CAUSE WE'RE GETTIN' SHIT DONE 'ERE AND WE'RE NOT GIVEN THE GROUP _ANY_ TIME TO REST UP, 'CAUSE I'M THAT MUCH OF A JACKASS! LET'S FUCKIN' DO THIS MOTHERFUCKER AND BURN 'IS/'ER CORPSE IN A FIRE, WWOOOO! I'm sorry 'bout that, I'm on a sugarhigh at the moment of writin' this chapter, hehehehe...Anyway, I don't own Fairy Tail an' I don't feel _too_ bad 'bout that.

 _Thoughts or emphasis_

'Paraphrasin'

"Normal speech"

" **Non-human** **speech** " (I realized that I'm gonna write a demonified Mira as well as a _Beast_ ly Elfman, so I'm gonna give this area a bit more generality)

 **XXXXXXXXXXXX**

Everyone conscious person in the group felt unimaginable terror that they'd only imagined in the guild.(Yeah, I know it's a paradox, an' I said weird shit's goin' down in this chapter) Loke's glasses fell down his nose to leave him near blind, Lucy grabbed Happy and slapped a tag that read 'shield' on him while holding him in front of her like he would prevent the Titania's wrath, Bora and Juanda faded into the background like shadows out of fear, the atmosphere's temperature dropped so far _Gray_ was shivering, and Natsu was out of it like the lovable, snoring moron he was.

"Well...!" Loke dropped Natsu onto his stomach and backed away like the time Lucy told him she was a Celestial Mage, "I _swear_ ," He started, making the others look at him like he was a sellout, "That they had no choice in this plan!" And their eyes widened with shock, leaving Lucy speechless and the most surprised out of all of them. _Loke..._

"I kidnapped Happy and used him as blackmail to make Natsu take the quest, while finding some...unmentionable events concerning the others and Lucy was the easiest to fool into this plan, seeing as she's a blonde! Hehehe, I wanted to prove to you that I was worth your time and went with one that had already been dealt with, by you no less, to show you that I'm worth your time! And I got your attention didn't I?!" His smile was punched right off by one _very_ pissed Erza Scarlet.

"You did all this...just to _SHOW Off_! YOU WORTHLESS," She slammed her fists together down on him, making him grunt in pain and release a small amount of energy no one noticed. "USELESS," Her fists met the areas around his organs, "BASTARD!" Readying another punch, she threw it for his torso, intending to destroy his heart with one blow, when Natsu's claw-like fist caught her wrist firmly, surprising her to no end. "Hurt him, the man who's done so much to _help_ us-ergh, that hurts!-And..." He looked up, his eyes glowing red with anger, "I **'ll kill you...He's done nothing wrong, it was me who stole the S-Class quest, _of my own, free will_ , and it was me who gathered these good people...**"

He let go of her wrist, letting her stand up to fix him with a glare that he sent back _ten-fold_ , " **...And it's me who's going to get kicked outta Fairy Tail for what I've done, and I _don't. Care._ We did good here, and I'd do this same mistake a hundred times over to do what we did here! So, if you're here to threaten me about kicking me outta Fairy Tail, _save your breath_! 'Cause I'll keep doing what we did tonight, even if I'm not in Fairy Tail. Do what you will to me, but leave them out of it. Got that?!** " His growl left a seriously scared look on everyone's face. Getting kicked out of the guild that raises someone for years, acts as their family and gives them all it can, is a huge thing. But he basically spat in her face that if they kicked him out, he wouldn't give two shits about it.

What scared Erza wasn't what he was saying, it was what he was implying. He was _screaming at her_ that if he were kicked out, he wouldn't give Fairy Tail a second glance and wouldn't care if it burned in Hell. He was fine with being kicked out of the guild that took care of him, raised him as its own, and gave him a family; he would leave it to do good. And that scared Erza more than anything she'd known in her life. Here was a man, whom she'd known since she was a kid, who'd lost everything he loved and he was alright with leaving his home behind if it meant he could move forward. _Leave Fairy Tail, leave his friends, leave his family..._

Tears found their ways into Erza's eyes, imagining what Fairy Tail would be like without their favorite fire-breather around, and seeing him move on like it was nothing. That made her glare disappear as she knew he wouldn't hold back on his statement, and as if to emphasize his threat: He raised a flaming hand to his right shoulder, ready to scorch away his stamp. "NO!" She stopped his hand before it got any farther, "That won't...be necessary..." The sounds of choking left her throat, letting them know _how c_ _lose_ she came to crying her eyes out.

Loke's eyes were waveringly wide, he'd said what he had to _save_ his team, and here he was, flat on his ass on the ground, while one of the people he'd hoped to save from pain defending _him_ instead of the other way around. Lucy and Happy had tears fighting their ways to fall from their faces, Natsu was Happy's father and he'd basically he was fine with leaving him behind while the pyrovore had made it clear that Lucy was his ward. Juanda and Bora were staring into each other's eyes uncomfortably at the events going on right now in front of them. Gray had terrified eyes, _If he leaves, what am I supposed to do with my life?! Who will insult me and argue with me?! Where will I go?!_

" **We saved Ur, fought the team of Ur's other student and opened the casket holding some secrets concerning things that might save our asses in the long run if we use them properly. Now, if we're done with the threats and whatnot, I'd suggest we go! I was sleeping fine until this shit started and I'd like to be allowed to sleep, thank you very much!** " He shoved her aside with a _very_ deep, almost feral, growl that sent fearful shivers down her spine.

Natsu's eyes didn't stop glowing, when the sounds of pain came from Loke, " **You okay, kid?** " The aforementioned Ring Mage looked to the rose-haired mage with a pained smile of encouragement, "Yeah, I'll be fine, just need to not do a lot for a while, what with Erza's killer strength." Said Knight Mage looked to her gauntlet covered hands like she'd see something wrong with them, " **Let's go then, I hate transportation and I'd like to get it over with sooner versus later. _While we're young,_ would be nice!** "

He was in the boat already, looking greener and puffier-cheeked than a sick chipmunk. And once Juanda got on, she was in the same boat as he was, literally. It was going to be a long trip...

 **The harbor of Hargeon**

At the docks was all of Fairy Tail, looking pissier than ever with a certain salmon-haired, fire-eating Dragon Slayer. In the forefront of the group was Master Makarov, with a look that spelled trouble for Natsu, who was suffering from the rocking back and forth of the boat. "Oh, please, someone...Put me outta my misery! Blegh...Ungh, I see a bright light, please deliver me..." His moanings would have made everyone laugh, had he not pissed everyone off.

"Oh, you're going to see a light alright, you Bratty-Bastard! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, TAKING AN S-CLASS QUEST LIKE THAT?!" Natsu, although feeling sicker than bad seafood, responded in kind, "MORE THAN YOU, APPARENT-BLEGH! BLURGH! BLURGH!"(Bad vomitin' sound, sorry) His vomit turned the water into an unhealthy and unnatural color of orange.

Once they got him onto solid ground, they let him lay at the master's feet in recuperation, "Someone, please...put me outta my misery...Bleh!" It was two minutes of groaning and moaning to be put out of his misery and reaching for a light until Natsu found his 'land stomach'. "Oh thank you, sweet, merciful land!" He even went so far as to kiss the ground, before spluttering and spitting out something he wasn't fond of.

"Anyway. We did good, you act like that's a bad thing. We helped those poor demons, who only wanted their home to be undisturbed, while Ur's other student and his posse brought the frozen Deliora to the island. And also, Master..." He said this with a growl, "What happened to Mest Gryder?!" Makarpv's eyes widened at the below-a-growl question, making him enlarge his fist and crush Natsu under it. "NATSU, I WANT YOU TO NEVER DO THIS AGAIN AND ANY FURTHER ATTEMPTS TO DO SO WITHOUT PERMISSION WILL BE REWARDED WITH EXPULSION!...Understood, Nosy Little Bastard...?"

Natsu got up to his feet, fist still trying to crush him, as he growled at the master in distrust, "...H **ow many more...do you hide from...us...?!** " His growl wasn't heard by anyone else, but the master's glare and gritting of teeth was all Natsu needed, as he rolled out from underneath the fist and walked off like nothing happened. Happy ran after his father-figure on four legs, being as inconspicuous as possible in the tense atmosphere. Today had been alright, aside from the boat ride set for Hell.

 **Natsu and Happy's house**

Back at their house, the two of them were trying to decide what to do. They'd seen the look in the master's eyes, meaning they were suspended from anymore jobs for the time being and that meant they'd no leads. No leads meant no finding Lisanna, and no finding her Lisanna meant more pain. Normally they'd go on jobs to alleviate the pain a little, but seeing as they were basically suspended..."This sucks."

Natsu nodded to his boy, scratching behind his ears and making the Exceed purr _happi_ ly, "I need professional help...Like seriously, need professional help. Without Lisanna here you have to keep me in line, and that's..." Happy shivered, "A scary thought! I wish she didn't disappear like that, then we wouldn't miss her so much!" His father nodded solemnly, but smiled soon after, "But if she didn't...We wouldn't have met all the people, or saved the lives we have. Nothing is set in stone, Happy, and with that comes a power. A power, to control what happens next. If Lisanna didn't disappear, we wouldn't have met Lucy, given Bora, Juanda or Black Steel a second chance or done some of the things we have."

The blue Exceed looked to his father, seeing not Natsu nor his mother, but seeing a figure clad in a black cloak, fire on his head as a hood, wings sprouted from his back and a tail swaying back and forth behind him. The figure stood tall and proud, like a man who'd seen many battles and made many tough calls, but in his eyes were the fires of a kind man and not a bloodthirsty barbarian. Before the figure could turn all the way, he faded and left Happy with his father, a dazed look on his face, "Hey, vewvew!" (Bad whistlin' sound, sorry y'all)

"Huh?" "You okay, Happy, you kept staring off into space?" He looked to Natsu surprisedly, "I didn't mean too, sorry, Paatsu." Said fire-breather rubbed Happy's head affectionately, "It's okay, Little Buddy, nothing's hurt by it and you're not in any trouble. We're just really-" "NATSU!" "AAAHH!" Through the door burst Loke, stardust floating off of him, "I need your help..." Natsu looked to him sternly, "What kinda help...?!"

 **Three hours later, sundown**

Everything was calm until, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HAVEN'T SEEN HIM?!" The sounds of several girls crying was heard while Mirajane was left to calm them down. "All I know is that he quit Fairy Tail without an explanation, no one's seen him all day...!" An awkward, anxious smile adorned Fairy Tail's poster girl's face when she saw Lucy, "Lucy! These girls want to meet you! Go talk to her, I think she said she saw Loke earlier!" Mira's innocent smile was an obvious lie in and of itself, but in the opinions of two certain mages(Lucy and Elfman) she could do no wrong. (We know that Elfman believes only true men, as sexist as that sounds in the right/wrong context, can date his sisters. So with that in mind, and the way he acts around said girls, he believes them to be innocent no matter what they do. Also, Lucy's Mirajane's fangirl an' we know how fangirls act, just look at Haruno Sakura an' ya got an idea of how Lucy'll act)

"WHERE IS HE?!" Lucy had been minding her own business when she was swamped by Loke's ex-girlfriends, "WOAH-WOAH-WOAH! WHO'RE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!" The fangirls yelled in one voice, "LOKE!" "I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE IS!" And she was dog-piled for her honesty as the fangirls went on a manhunt for their ex-boyfriend.

Happy was padding on the fence when he saw the mayhem Loke and his father's stunt had caused, _Sorry, Miss Lucy, but we can't have you interfering with Paatsu's plan to save Leo..._ Guilty tears in his eyes, he spread his wings and took off after the two who'd asked him to keep tabs on the rest of Fairy Tail. Unknown to him, he was seen by a pair of chocolate eyes that glared at his distancing form. _I don't know your game, Happy, but I promise you I'm going to find out!_

 **Not far from Karen Lilica's grave**

"We almost," Natsu asked compassionately, "there, Leo? I wanna see the resting place of your previous contract before we put our plan into action." Loke looked to the salmon headed fire-breather with exhausted eyes, "We're nearly there, Natsu, just a little farther...Thank you, for doing this I mean. It means a lot to me, knowing that there's a chance to atone for what I've done, even if it's a small one."

Natsu was about to say something, but he was suddenly in a deep canyon, "SON OF A BITCH!" The surprised look on Leo's face was accompanied by the words, "You found it before I did, how'd you do that?" He was answered with a glare of glowing red eyes, "HELP ME DAMNI-Wait a minute..." Looking below himself, Natsu saw he could survive the fall if he used what-would-be-his-wings, "Nevermind Leo, I've got it! C'mon down here yourself, it's pretty..."

True to the pyrovore's words, the grave site was quite the sight(Puns) to behold. The waterfall was tranquil and the ground was sacred. There were plants growing around the gravestone, but not one leaf touched the stone, as if to say 'this is holy, touch not this stone'. Natsu hovered down after a minute of staring when Leo came down, "This is the resting place of my last summoner, please don't destroy anything here. Now, are you ready?"

Leo turned to look the fire breathing salmon head in the eye, finding Natsu staring at him seriously as he said in an equally serious tone, "I'm ready, give me the key." The Lion handed over his key hesitantly, knowing that their plan's likelihood of succeeding was diminishing as they drew it out but fearing for Natsu's well-being. "Take this key, devour what was, create anew, and save a life Natsu 'Salamander' Dragneel, Son of Igneel, King of the Fire Dragons."

"I grant you my magicka, feel it flow within your veins, let it grow within your body, 'Loke' Leo the Lion. As I devour this key I see before me, I trade you the key for magicka so that you may live longer..." Taking the key, Natsu placed a hand to Leo's heart, channeling magicka directly into the Celestial Spirit while he ate the aforementioned Zodiac Spirit's Gate Key.

A beacon left the grave site, letting the world know of what was going on. _I will never be forgotten, I will be remembered, I will light the sky as the sun and illuminate the night as the moon...I._ Natsu's eyes opened, _Am._ A key began to form out of the center of the Dragon Slayer's chest, _A!_ Leo's key began to form out of the Lion's chest as well, right next to Natsu's palm as he began to heal, "GUARDIAN!"

The beacon of light grew bigger, sending a wave of energy that was felt through the Fabrics themselves. Natsu's key started to float away from him, before he gripped it firmly enough to destroy it if it were any other key. Loke did the same for his key, making the light spread up higher than the now setting sun and rising moon. The wave of air pressure this beacon made was making the trees sway and bend, birds and beasts alike were running away from the powerful beings nearby and the once clear sky was clouded in a way that could be seen from the stars as a spiral.

Natsu and Leo abruptly ended the light show, returning everything, minus the sky, back to normal. "Paatsu!" Turning to see his son, Natsu knelt down and spread his arms outward while smiling lovingly at his boy, "Happy, I'm fine. Did you do as I asked?" "Aye, sir!" Out of the blue, Lucy fell down into the hole at Natsu's feet as he wrapped the key around his neck on a piece of magic string from his trap-making kit. "You okay, Lugi?" He was rewarded for his mild concern with a kick to the side of the head, "MY NAME'S LUCY, NOT 'LUGI'! Say it with me, Lu-" "Lu-"

"Cy!" "Cy!" It was odd seeing a nearly grown young man acting like a parrot, "Lu-cy!" "Lugi, hirhirhirhirhir!" His weird chuckling and blatant disregard for Lucy's wishes really pissed off the Celestial mage when she saw dust floating off of Loke, "Loke, you're still not safe yet! C'mon, time to summon everything I've got..." She suddenly was surrounded by her spirits, ready to stand by her decision when she began to falter.

"I got'cha covered, kid, you can always lean on me." Natsu placed a gentle hand on Lucy's head, channeling as much as magicka as he could through his hand and directly into her, "Let's give you a bit more authority, **SHALL WE?** **!** " Handing her his key, she called out in instincts she hadn't had before, "OPEN...GATE OF THE CRIMSON DRAGON, AZREAL!"

Fire engulfed Natsu, surrounding him and shaping something no one had seen before. Out of the miniature inferno stepped a man wearing a cloak the color of oblivion, his right hand had a metal glove on that was attached to the cloak, behind him flapped a pair of red-scaled wings and a scaly, red tail. Two horns protruded from the forefront of his long, orange head of hair. There were scales running up his arms and legs, when he folded his wings in and looked like a normal young man covered with scales and having horns. Everyone stared at what Natsu had become, fear and shock in their eyes.

" **...Thou summoned me, Child? Who art thou to have summoned a Guardian Celestial Spirit? What reason hath thou the desire to summon me?** " His deep, rumbling voice broke everyone of their daze and sending the other Celestial Spirits into fits of shivers, "..." Azreal turned his obsidian and lava-colored eyes to Lucy, a critical stare boring into her soul, " **If thou shan't answer my inquiries, I am off-** "

"Don't! I need your help in saving Leo the Lion, please...Azreal." Natsu's Celestial counterpart looked to her in surprise before looking to the other spirits, " **So be it...,** " He took a few steps towards Loke and touched a single claw to his forehead before swiping and drawing blood, " **Leo the Lion, strongest of the twelve Zodiac Celestial Spirits, by the power vested in me by the Celestial Spirit King, I hereby end thy sentence and clear thou of thy previous crimes. Return now, to the place from which thou were brought into existence and renew thyself of thou lifeforce! ALL OF THOU, BEGONE NOW!** " The other spirits nodded and smiled to the Lion as he too began to fade away, leaving Azreal alone with Lucy and Happy.

"Thank you, Azre-" She was interrupted by a stern voice and sterner glare, " **Do not thank me, Child! I did not do what I did for thou, I did what I did because war is coming. A war that not even the Celestial Spirit King _himself_ will be able to prevent, so do not thank me, Child! I do not need, nor _want_ , thy gratitude, for it is worthless in the scheme of things...I am not thy Celestial Spirit summon, thy shan't have my Gate Key for any reason unless deemed _absolutely_ necessary by my counterpart, Natsu Dragneel the Salamander. I am off, do not call me again unless it is dire!** "

Dust and smoke circled Azreal, revealing an exhausted Natsu to the world as he fell into Lucy's arms, "You're...Huh huh, welcome...Daughter of Layla..." He was then unconscious, his head and shoulders slumped with a contented smile on his face, when the key appeared on the string around his neck spinning around his neck like it had been thrown or something similar. _What are you becoming, Paatsu? What am I becoming? What are we, together, becoming?!_

"What did you do, Natsu, to have made a Celestial Guardian Spirit your counterpart? Why would you go to such lengths for-Ooooooohhhhhh! You're dying from the inside out like Loke was, and being who you are, a father and a friend, you weren't going to let something like that happen. I know you don't care about what I think most of the time but," She leaned in so he could hear her better in his sleep, "...You did good today, Natsu...You did good..."

Now getting a better look at the Gate Key around Natsu's neck, she saw that it wasn't golden _or_ silver, it was a fiery red. The grip of the key had the image of a red dragon's head, while the grip itself was a pair of folded red dragon wings. There were false, yellow eyes engraved into the key's metalwork while the shaft of the key was the dragon's tail and the area where the teeth of the key would be was the arrowhead tip of the dragon's tail. The entire key was red and was perpetually warm, like it was alive and the eyes kept staring in a way that a picture does like it can see you.

The thing was unnerving to say the least, once _Happy_ saw the thing he hissed and his fur bristled to the point he looked like a powder-puff, "I don't like Azreal's key, it's scary..." Lucy nodded before lifting the vessel of the Crimson Dragon onto her back and began her trek back to the guild.

 **Natsu's dream**

(Cue: Taio Cruz-Break Your Heart) The guild was calm, until Natsu growled and lunged at the strange-smelling girl from that fateful day two months ago, "W **ho...are you...to me?!** " He received a similar growl from the girl, the only difference was the pitch and the emotion behind it, "None... **...of your concern! Back off!** " His head was being held back by her foot, showing her determination and that the two of them were equals. The fire breather's eyes widened after a minute or two of this, " **...You're hiding...** "

Lisanna's ears twitched and her eyes widened, " **...You don't-ergh-wanna be found out...especially not by your siblings...but you can't hide forever, secrets _never_ stay buried...Kid...!** " Natsu was then grabbed by his shoulders, spun around and thrown to the railing of the second floor, "SHUT UP!" Launching himself off the railing down to her, he was intercepted by the armored fist of one irate Erza Scarlet, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING, NATSU?!"

" **STAY OUTTA THIS, IT DOESN'T CONCERN YOU, IT CONCERNS-** " A dull lance of ice his his side, knocking the wind out of him and sending him out of the guild through the front double doors, "WHEN YOU GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER, COME BACK-no, second thought-DON'T COME BACK, LOSER!" Gray closed the doors and left Natsu in the rain, letting his tears and blood boil as he felt hatred. _I don't know who or why you are, but you became my rival, Lisanna Strauss! I'll defeat you eventually, and when I do, I won't hold back..._

Taking off into the forest, the sounds of calls for him were heard by the confused boy. All he wanted were answers, but did the guild care? Nooooo! They had to interfere with his fight. What else were they to expect? That he'd come _crawling_ back to them, apologizing and saying _he_ was sorry?! NO! That wasn't his way, that would never be his way.

The sounds of clinking armor, a jangling cross necklace and a familiar girl's panting was heard by Natsu's sensitive ears. _Looking for me, eh?! Well_ **GO TO HELL!** " He ran up into a tree before scampering over to an entirely different part of the forest where he began to burn and dig up the relatively dry ground beneath him under a tree, and he buried himself under the dirt like he'd been taught by Igneel. In the nick of time too, because just as he finished burying himself the white-haired-girl-he'd-decided-would-be-his-rival landed on his hiding spot and started sniffing around like a cat on two legs.

"I know he's here, his scent's not entirely faded, he must've gone up again," She noticed a lock or two of pink poking through the ground as the rain pelted through the treetops, "Or..." Grabbing the locks and tugging, she received pained groaning from her quarry, "Underground! Ha, like that'd stop a Bliz-Mm!" Just as she was about to say something she cut herself off, like she wasn't allowed to say that word specifically, when a man wearing a hooded, black cloak landed next to them and looked to them with a kind, sharp-toothed grin.

"Ah, it appears that it's the time to help out some children fighting their friends..." Natsu glared at the man, not being able to see someone's face had always been something he disliked, "She's not my friend, and I don't need your help...I don't need anybody's help!" The man knelt down to look at the boy compassionately as he ruffled Natsu's spiky hair, "But she _might_ be! And that's the important part, Natsu, and everybody needs a little help, even your greatest opponent Gildarts Clive..."

The two children looked to the man in shock, how did this man know Natsu's name? How did he know that Natsu had fought Gildarts before? These questions were asked bluntly by the pyrovore, making the mystery man's kind and toothy smile widen. "I'd tell you, 'I deduced it', but that wouldn't help any, that'd confuse you, Natsu. So, I'll be backwards," Lisanna and Natsu gave him a look that said, 'heh?', with one eye rose and their mouths open in an attempt to ask before he answered, "I'm someone you know, sorta...Hirhirhirhir, or at least you will...You'll understand when you're older, Buddy!"

The snickering sound was just like Natsu's, making their eyes widen in surprise as he left them perplexed, "Wait, Mister!" "Hm?" He asked as he turned back to look at the little boy he said he knew, "What's up, Buddy?" Natsu looked a little hesitant as he asked, "What's your name...?" Odd snickering continued and a sharp-toothed grin accompanied it as it became full out, throaty and heartfelt laughter, "HAHAHAHAHAHA! I've waited for this moment, the moment where you ask that, and yet I-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I HAVEN'T THE SLIGHTEST IDEA ON WHAT TO TELL YOU! HAHAHAHA!"

His laughter was so infectious, as it turned out, that the two children began to laugh as well when Erza and Gray came onto the scene with perplexed looks on their faces. "Aaahhhh, Erza and Gray! It's good to finally see you after all this time, you've no idea how much I've wanted to see you again! HAHAHAHAHA! ALL WE'RE MISSING IS NATSU'S SISTER AND THE BLUE ONE, AND WE'VE THE WHOLE CREW! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The other three gave Natsu a weird look and he shrugged like he didn't know, when he turned to glare unheatedly at the stranger.

"How do you know us?" Gray's untrusting expression was changed to a glower when his hair was made into spikes by the man who kept chuckling, "I can't tell you yet, but you four'll understand when you're older. I can tell you that you four have a future rich in adventure," He turned to look at Erza and smiled like a father does when he sees his daughter after leaving to fight in a war. "You're going to grow up into a fine, young woman, my dear Erza, and no matter how much the boys say they don't like your aggression...Always know that they love you nonetheless!" He pecked her on the head like her father used to, making her eyes widen before he moved onto speak to Gray.

"Just because you're not always the best, doesn't mean you're not strong, Son, it means you've more room to grow and _become_ the best!" His words were accompanied by him returning Gray's hair back to its original position. He turned to Lisanna with a loving stare as he said with wisdom, "You are also going to become a fine, young woman, Lisanna, just like Erza and like your sister. You're going to meet many trials and tribulations, but always know that you are loved and held close to many hearts...Take care of my boy for me, 'kay?" He placed a slightly longer-lasting kiss on her forehead, "I won't be around much longer, and I need someone to help these two, " Pointing to Erza and Gray, he continued, "keep Natsu in place."

He turned Natsu once more, "You're not going to beat Gildarts yet, Buddy, but you're going to keep trying no matter what I say. But just keep trying, and you'll learn something about yourself you'd have never even dreamed of! Lisanna isn't your _only_ opponent, Buddy, you've got Gray, Erza, and everyone else to fight too. Don't focus on one rival at a time, the others'll get jealous and you'll lose a rival all too soon, so treat them all as rivals equally." Natsu's confused look made him smile kindly, "I don't...get it?" The laughter returned full force, "HAHAHAHAHAHA! That's okay, Buddy, that's okay, just do as I said, okay?! HAHAHAHAHA-aaaaaaaahhhhhh...You four are strong for your age group, but don't take that for granted and never underestimate your opponent, no matter who he or she might be. You be safe now, for thou won't seeth me in many a year to come..."

With that, he was walking away with a tune to whistle and a bit of a dorky dance in his step, leaving four _very_ confused youths. Once he was out of sight and earshot, "Who and what in the Hell was all that about?" Natsu was slammed into the ground, leaving him an unconscious mess and the other three to carry him thanks to Erza's harsh choice in actions. The whole way back, the remaining conscious three were in a continuous state of calm and minor joy. The fact that at least _someone_ had complete faith in them was a huge pick-me-up for them.(Uncue music)

 **Waking world, base of snowy mountains and edge of a forest**

At the base of Mt. Hakobe and near a beautiful, green forest, there stood two amazing animals not known to normal men or women. The first was feline-like, and yet strangely reptilian. It had the head and limbs of a lion, but it was scaly and had a protrusion of bone at the back of the head that looked like a split, vein-covered shield. It's top and bottom jaw had large, protruding canines. This magnificent beast had large, blue and bat-like wings while its tail was scaly and had a large tuft of fur at the end. Her icy blue eyes were full of so much rage it was palpable as she let a roar reverberate out of her scales-covered center at her opponent.

Said enemy was a long, slim reptile that was about as tall as a pair of elephants when it stood on its hind legs. Its back was covered in leaf-shaped, fin-like protrusions across its back with a maple leaf-shaped one at the end of its tail and a few orange fins that ran along its spine to rest atop its head. There were antler-like horns that reached over as eyebrows as well, its feet were like bird talons while the forelegs' hind claw acted like thumbs. It body was green while mottled with browns, greys, oranges, blacks and other such colors of the under brush. Its whiskers weren't long, but they were long enough to look like a mustache. This beautiful monster had deer-like ears that rested at the sides of its head, like any low-to-the-ground animal's would be. It let loose a long, deep hiss, " **Why are you doing this, Lunamei** **?! What have I done to deserve this hostility from you?!** "

His voice sounded young, for a dragon that is, and the now named Lunamei roared out, " **WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER, SUNADEHA!** " (Luna, as in moon, and 'mei' like Mei from Naruto Shippuden. Sunade, like Tsunade's name on its own minus the 't', and 'ha' like laughter) Lunamei reared her head back and then threw her head forward, releasing a stream of froze air, snow, and ice at Sunadeha, freezing one of his paws to the ground.

" **I SHAN'T ASK AGAIN! WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER?!** " Sunadeha, desperate to survive this encounter with the older, stronger dragon, rears his head back and unleashes a twister full of leaves, branches and sap. (Think of Pokemon's attack 'Leaf Storm' as a dragon's breath attack) The twister reached the older dragon, scratching, sticking and scraping her up and to the ground, but not doing anything to stop her from pinning him down to the ground.

" **I could ask you the same about my son-AHCK!** " Sunadeha's throat was stepped on, keeping him from speaking unless spoken to, " **I shan't _ask_ , I demand to kNOW WHERE MY DAUGHTER HAS VANISHED TO! TELL ME, SUNADEHA! I HAVE ALREADY ASKED BANETHRAS AND SUKANE! I INTERROGATED KIRN AND TROVIAT. I CAN'T FIND IGNEEL, METALICANA, OR GRANEENEY, SO THAT LEAVES ONLY THE SECOND AND FOURTH GENERATIONS. But since Kirn and Troviat are as confused as I, I have no choice but to question my own GENERATION. NOW, TELL ME WHERE SHE IS!**"

Lunamei's roaring was stopped by the piscine dragon from before, this incredible female went by the name of Sukane.(Suka, or Tsuka if ya need a better was of imaginin' a Japanese-ish soundin' name, and 'ne' from normal conversations in Japan) " **Enough, Lunama,** " She said as she landed and strutted forward, using her wings as forelegs like some dragons did four hundred years ago. " **He is as lost as you, I or Banethras, who has joined me to help you. I invited Kirn of the Storm and Troviat of the Poisoned Rain, but they declined and said they had to wait for their future Slayers to arrive like they were asked to four hundred years ago. Is that not right, Banethras of the Clover Canyon?** "

From the other side, to the west, stomped the bulkiest of the four Fourth Generation dragons. He had been just around the mountain when he heard his name called, " **Indeed it is, Sukane, and I apologize for the inconvenience, Lunamei, but we must focus on the up coming event...** "(Bane, like Kushina's 'ttebane' and 'thras') The Snowstorm Dragon sighed as a frozen tear fell from her eye in disappointment and resignation, " **The Dragon King Festival, I know ,Banethras, I know but...What would you do if your daughter had disappeared on you like that under your watchful eye? I know Igneel told us to stay away from our human children, but I-I just could not leave her when she still had so much to learn had her parents not intervened!** "('Trove' like a treasure trove and 'iat' like bat with an 'i'. Kirn's pretty straight forward a name, eh)

A sad roar left her throat as the other three joined her roar. To the sky she roared with tears in her eyes, " **WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER?!** "

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

That's a wrap ladies, gents and other! My sugar high _really_ gave me a rush of ideas, and now that it's gettin' itself gone, I'm glad I had a lot of sugar. If y'all really wanna know who the stranger was, ya're gonna have to wait, HAHAHAHAHAHA! I know I'm evil an' all, but I had to focus on the animals. I wanted to introduce 'em during the timeskip, but this chapter felt like the right time to let y'all know what they were. At first it was supposed to end with Lunamei sayin', ' **Where is my daughter** ', but it evolved into what it is. Sorry if I disappointed y'all with the lack of action, but there isn't a whole lot in the Loke Arc to begin with so I shrank it down to character development, if even that.

No questions I can think of with the sugar high still there, even though it's wanin' I still have it cloggin' up my head, so as usual: R&R, no flamin' my ass, constructive criticism, and SEE YA-GOOD NIGHT!


	13. Dealing cards in just the right way

Whaz up ladies, gents and other! Time to give Natsu and Lisanna's teen years a turn in the spotlight, since their childhood was filled with hatred for each other before Happy. I don't own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima's got 'is hands full enough as is without my madness to add onto it.

 _Thoughts or emphasis_

'Paraphrasin'

"Normal speech"

" **Non-human speech** "

 **XXXXXXXXXXXX**

Natsu was sent flying through the forest and into a clearing, where he flipped and crouched low to the ground, stopping his flight. "Damn.." He panted, his girlfriend had gone all out on him again, leaving him with no choice but to attack her with the intent to kill if he wanted to survive, " **Give up, Natsu, you're not going to beat me outside of Dragon Force.** " Out of the woods walked Lisanna, bat-like wings behind her and a scaly tail swishing. Icy blue scales ran down her arms and legs, very small lizard frills covered her ears and the only real clothes she wore were a pair of blue panties and a bra with strings in the front, as well as wing-like decorations the crawled up her breasts to rest at her collarbone.

The Take-Over was a Blizzardvern, a draconic beast and its Take-Over appearance aroused Natsu and arousal slowed reaction time, "You're cheating! Using your body and my high sex-drive against me like that! I'm all for survival of the fittest, but not even the most desperate prey or predator would pull a stunt like that!" All he received was a mischievous and lecherous smirk from his girlfriend as she flew at him with enough speed to cause a small shockwave, " **I don't care, as long as I can say I beat you, I'm game for just about anything!** " (She's kinda OOC, but minor Butterfly Effect, remember? By makin' the Dragon Slayers more draconic in nature and makin' Slayer Magic forbidden, I created a waverin' of the Fabrics and that made some of the characters act different than they do in canon)

Natsu was hit head on, literally, as Lisanna rammed im he surrounded himself in fire and allowed himself to fall onto the ground. _What's he playing at?!_ She received an answer in the form of Natsu spinning and disappearing below the soil, making her eyes widen as he grabbed her by the ankles and smugly said, "Let's see how strong those wings are, shall we, **Sweetheart?!** " He yanked her downwards, getting her legs buried, leaving her body exposed from the waist up.

" **Hey, that's fighting dirty!** " She was rewarded for her unintentional(Was it really?) pun with a slap on the ass, courtesy of her cheekily smiling boyfriend, " **Naughty, naughty. No puns in a fight, and now we're even for the dirty tactics _and_ the arousal! Try to fight me now that we're on 'equal' ground, Hahahahaha!** " Just to piss her off even more, he decided to give her a hickey, making her moan in halfhearted protest and fullhearted pleasure, " **...Mmmmm, stop...We're-ungh!-supposed to be fighting not-ooh-fucking...Ah!** " Licking the mark he'd made on her neck with his duct tape-thin, forked tongue, he smirked predatorily as he whispered into her ear, " **...Who says we can't do both, hirhirhir...?!** " He then began to nibble at her ear, making her eyes roll upward and close with pleasure, " **I-ah-do, now stop before I-mmmmm-make you and get ma-Huh!** "

Knowing he had won, he expressed this victory in the only way he knew, " **Tis a shame thou must lay in the dust, whilst thy mind is clouded with thy lust. Tis a crying shame...** " Lisanna's breath hitched and she reached for her core to ease away the burning she felt when Natsu's hands grabbed her by the wrists and held them to the ground as he reached behind her, caressing her arse teasingly, " **Or shall my prize beith thou for me to claim?!** " He gave her ass a very firm, slightly painful, squeeze of her ass, making her moan in desperation.

" **Natsu,** " She said through her moaning, " **no teasing! If you're going tease me, at least do it when I'm naked and during foreplay, not like this...!** " A chuckle left Natsu's throat as he slapped Lisanna's ass again, getting her to yelp in pained pleasure, " **Why not here, Beloved? No one is around to see what we do, tawdy or not. So shan't my cock be within you shoved?** " Saying the word 'shoved' in a syllable way, he smirked when Lisanna whimpered from the explorative hand that had miraculously found its way so danger tantalizingly close to her core while remaining _just_ that far away enough to keep her away from the pleasure she so desperately desired.

That's when the mercury-white haired young woman used her tail, knocking Natsu onto his back while the temporary Blizzardvern-ess crawled out of the dirt and landed onto her boyfriends lap, grinding her panty-covered crotch to his groin, " **You'd best be able to hold up to your boast, you fire breathing bastard, 'cause I'm...No, _you're_ not leaving this clearing without pleasuring me! So you'd best make good on that claim, Rhymes-boy...! YIPE!** " Natsu immediately grabbed her tail and hands, before binding them with his flames as ropes that remained without his touch, " **Oh, I _intend_ to do _more than_ 'make good' or 'hold up' my promise, Darling!** " His half-lidded eyes and lust-dripping voice sent Lisanna to new levels of arousal as she tried to quell the heat by rubbing her thighs together.

(Small Lemon warnin', never written one, so I'm tryin' my hand at one. Don't like, skip past it)Natsu wedged himself between her legs, stopping her attempts to sate her lust, making her whine in frustration and desire, " **Tut tut tut, my pet,** " She growled at the demeaning nickname when Natsu slapped her breasts, silencing ehr and making her whimper again, " **There will be time for that, but right now, I do believe that my prize comes first, does it not?! Now, how's about I remove that uncomfortable looking underwear?** " Not waiting for a response, he grabbed the blue, slit-eyed Lisanna's panties with his claw like hand and ripped them off with one tug, making the Take-Over mage gasp in arousal at her boyfriend's aggression.

Leaning down, Natsu met Lisanna's puffy nether lips. He took a long whiff, soaking in the scent of her soaked core, " **N-Natsu...Don't just sit there, sniff and stare! C'mon, make me _scream_!** " That was all the in _scent_ ive(Puns) Natsu needed as he lunged his thin, forked tongue into her folds and licked her insides like he was trying to clean her out. " **AAaaaaaahhhhhH!** " The gasp of pleasure was music to Natsu's ears, making him want her to scream out in lust, so he pinched her clitoris softly yet firmly.

" **Nngh!** " Natsu opened his mouth wide, placing all of Lisanna's folds become engulfed in his mouth, making her gasp at the suction as he tried to literally suck the juices out of her. He then began sucking on her clit aggressively, making the white-haired beauty sigh _very_ loudly at the attention she was receiving from the man she'd chosen. Three fingers were shoved into her all of a sudden, making her gasp as they pistoned in and out of her like a a rapid-fire gun.

It was ten minutes of this when the feeling of release reared its head, " **N-Natsu, I'm close!** " And just like that, the salmon-headed firebreather was done, smiling in feral, cruel amusement at the pout on Lisanna's face. " **You're not cumming until I say so, and that's going to be _hours_ from now, just like every time we do this! Hirhirhir!** " Just as he was about to return to teasing her, Lisanna's tail broke out of its bonds and wrapped itself around Natsu's neck, pulling him directly into Lisanna's core.

" **I'm not going to endure hours of foreplay today, Sweetheart, I'd like to go on a job today and I can't have you delay me. So forgive my impatience!** " Natsu's surprise was used to her advantage as her legs were allowed to move, getting her to wrap them around his head, keeping him there as he ate her out with more fervor than before.

" **Oh! Ah! Ungh!** " His tape-thin, forked tongue dashed in and out of her like a piston before switching to simple licking, enjoying the taste of her honeypot and the juices that lubricated it. Lisanna, wanting this orgasm more than anything at the moment, rubbed her clit like the wind, gasping and panting as she did so. Just when she was about to cum, Natsu tried to pull away, but Lisanna's legs and rubbing of her clit didn't waver, bringing her to an explosive orgasm that gave Natsu his favorite aphrodisiac: Lisanna's honeypot juices. His mouth engulfed her pussy, making her gasp at the return of the suction he created as he drank her pussy dry of its juices.

(Lemon's over, sorry if it sucked to any of ya who were expectin' somethin' better)" **I've to say, Sweetheart, that was the quickest orgasm I've ever experienced. Not that that's bad, but I'm used to the five minute long spasmfests your pleasurable torturing gives me. Now, I think-Mm!** " Natsu shot up and smashed his lips to his girlfriend's, sharing the taste he'd received and getting a moan from the white-haired mage, until she lightly slapped his chest to stop. And he didn't, making him smile at the frustrated glare she sent at him, hoping to scare him off of this path to makeout with her until she would succumb to his desire to keep having sex.

She groaned in both arousal and frustration at him as he let liquid fire enter Lisanna's mouth, making her groan at the heat she felt, before punching him in the stomach. " **UNGH!** " A smirk appeared on her face, " **That's what you get for trying to get me hot and bothered again, you pyrovoric bastard! Now, it's high time I go on a job that can give me a challenge while not requiring an extra, I know you're going to try to come along.** " A growl left Natsu's throat after being left unsatisfied while she had been as she stood in front of him, the scent of her crotch enticing him to eat her out again. Just before he could try, she returned to normal, fully clothed and fully ready for anything he'd try to pull, "I'm heading back to the guild now, Honey, you can go and train yourself to the point you don't wanna fuck me until I get back, okay?! See you later, shisshisshis!" (I'm givin' certain characters unique sounds or noises they make. Lisanna's got 'shis' for a snickerin'/chucklin' noise. Natsu's 'hir', Gajeel's 'gi hi', etc. are all examples of this. I'm gonna try an' give most of the Slayers a unique sound or two. 'Gain, sorry 'bout the short and shitty Lemon)

She left the clearing, her hips swaying enticingly as Natsu stared longingly after her like a lovesick puppy, even going so far as to whine. "Oh, stop it! You can _punish_ ," The sight of Lisanna standing there in a sassy pose as she slapped her own ass was even more of a turn on and torture as she finished, "me later." A wink was what finished the conversation as she gave him a soft, loving smile before leaving the clearing with a skip in her step and a tune to hum.

 **Waking world, Fairy Tail infirmary**

Natsu awoke to the sound of a brawl going on in the guild, making him rush out of bed and call out, "Fire **Dragon's...SWORD HORN!** " He rammed through the door, hitting Nab and Vijeeter in the process, "DAMN YOU, NATSU, THAT DOOR WAS JUST FIXED/FIXED!" They yelled in unison, not even concerned that they were struck by the aforementioned mage or his attack. " **YOU'RE FINALLY AWAY FROM THE JOB BOARD, YOU'RE NOT DANCING, HOW COULD I NOT GET A LITTLE EXCITED?!** " Looking between each other, the two then realized Natsu's head had horns that were covered by the fiery aura, "WHA/WHA?! YOU'VE GOT HORNS!"

And their 'carrier' tripped into a support beam, knocking them out and making him quiver in pain, " **Wh-Wha...What did you say?!** " The voice of Gajeel reached Natsu's ears, " **...Th-THEY SAID I'VE HORNS!** " When Natsu removed his head from the beam of wood, he did indeed have horns at the forefront of his head of hair.(Think of Naruto when he's in Ninetails Chakra Mode, those two locks of hair that resemble horns, picture those but solid and real)

Gajeel and Natsu roared in shock at what they saw, as Natsu could see his reflection in Black Steel's sword-arm. " **WHAT THE FUCKING HELL IN EARTHLAND'S GOING ON?! I WAKE UP AND I'VE GOT HORNS?! _THE FUCK?!_** " Going so far as to use the Iron Dragon's Sword of Gajeel as a saw, they tried to cut the horns off, with no success whatsoever. This result made Natsu take _drastic measures_ : He charged at Erza, intending to impale her or have her slice his horns off, cleanly or not didn't matter to him.

" **INCOMIN', SCARLET!** " Jumping up into the air, Natsu was sent forward by Gajeel's Iron Dragon's Iron Club, moving him faster than he could on his own. Erza, hearing someone call her name, turned with a piece of strawberry cake in her mouth to see Natsu flying headfirst at her with horns on his head. She gave out the sound of a squeak and said a quick, 'Requip', before revealing herself to be wearing her Adamantine Armor, all to protect a simple piece of cake...(*I get clawed in the face again* WH-HA-HY?! *After I stop crying into my once again bloody scars from the pain* I'm usin' the manga version and givin' it a minor change. I ain't gonna describe it 'cause it's a bit too much to explain while the other armors can be explained simply)

Erza brought an arm up in front of her, causing a piece of metal to fold out of her gauntlet and spread out into an oversized shield. Natsu's horns hit the shield, and he was stuck. " **WHY AM I STUCK?!** " He began to flail around like a fish out of water, making quite a sight as he tried to pry himself out of the dents he'd made. All the while this was going on, Erza was finishing her favorite dessert with a happy look on her face. It was the sound of metal being bent that made her stop mid-lift of a fork, getting everyone's eyes to widen at the sight of..."N-Natsu...!"

Everyone was staring at Natsu in horror, as his head found its way through the shield after struggling so much to escape, "What?" He finally looked down and saw he had his head through the shield of _Adamantium_ , the strongest and supposedly 'manliest' metal in all of Earthland. "..." Natsu's fearful eyes were all the incentive everyone needed to pull him out before he started rampaging against the shield for freedom. It took the combined efforts of the entire guild to pull the freaking-out Dragon Slayer out of the shield, " **Wh-WHY DO I HAVE HORNS?!** " Once Natsu was yanked out of the shield, he rolled right into another support beam, getting stuck in there too. (I'm cruel, I know, an' I don't give a shit! HAHAHAHAHAHA! Imagine in canon, Natsu gettin' stuck in the support beams of the guild, it'd make the whole show very interestin' with just that small change they intended to keep but thought against)

After pulling himself out of the beam, he began slamming his head against it, trying in a vain attempt to break the horns, making Mirajane grab them and stop him from breaking the beam and his own skull, "Stop, Natsu, you're only going to cause yourself even more brain damage! Take a deep breath and-" " **God. Damn! HORNS WON'T COME OFF!** " He resumed with fervor, making Mirajane grab her only weapon besides magic: the frying pan. Taking aim, she thwacked him right on top of the head, stopping his incessant and destructive rampage of fearful confusion.

"Natsu, get a grip. We all know you're crazy, don't go insane. Now, we need to figure out the source of the horns growing in the first place. Also, what are we going to do with you since we can't use Adamantium to break them off." Mira's words made Natsu growl in frustration as he tried to get off the floor, pulling the dress on his horns with him unintentionally. It was only when the pink headed fire breather looked up did he realize-" **OH SHIT!** "

He jumped back, tearing the front of the dress inadvertently, making Mira lush and several of their guildmates have severe nosebleeds, "I'M SORRY, PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!" All the guys with an ounce of integrity had their eyes covered, peaking through when no one was looking, while Natsu was curled up in fear of death by frying pan. Taking a deep breath, Mirajane strolled over to him calmly and said, "You could've just asked, Natsu, you didn't need to grow horns to see my-" "I'M NOT A SICK PERVE-..." His eyes were wide and a serious blush dusted his face as Mira's exposed underwear was at eye level, "Besides, now I have something to use against you so you'll tell me what you did to make my little sister limp for three weeks...!"

"YOU'RE SICK-MINDED, YOU KNOW THAT!" His eyes shut tightly, he resumed smashing his head against the beam, making it splinter and crash down on him. The day had been fine after Lucy and Loke, as Leo was fine with both names since most people knew him better as 'Loke', explained what happened, and then this. Happy, seeing his father in trouble _once again_ , flew over and landed on his all time favorite spot, Natsu's head, where he got a good look at the horns. "These're neat, Paatsu, and I know Lismama will like them for when you're-mmm!"

Natsu's hand was over his son's mouth in an instant, "Don't give your aunt anymore encouraging reminders of her goal! I have enough trouble on an everyday basis 'cause you let it slip that you could hear us the last time, I'd rather not be questioned even more..." It was at that moment that the shock left and Elfman punched Natsu in the face, "THAT'S VERY UNMANLY, NATSU, TEARING A LADY'S CLOTHES TO BE A PERVERT! WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF?!"

Getting the fist out of the indent on his face, Natsu snarled out, " **I'VE GOT _HORNS_ , ELFMAN! YOU'VE HAD THEM AT LEAST ONCE OR TWICE BEFORE I HAVE, HOW DID YOU GET USED TO IT?!**" At that moment, a griffin and a gryps (Close relative of a griffin, but all avian and no feline in its genes) ran into the guild. "What the Hell?! GET BACK HERE YOU NO-GOOD, HOODLUMS!" He was of average height, average body tone, but his entire body was made of geometrical shapes. He had an odd shaped chin, his hat was that of a boater, his scarf was loosely worn like it was only there for decoration, he had black haired, he was thick lipped, his sunglasses were black and oval-shaped, and he wore a royal blue suit with a white collared shirt that went alongside a red tied around his neck.

He transformed his arm into a large gun, making Natsu and an eating Gajeel's eyes glow angry red as they rammed the man. Natsu's horns left bloody wounds, while the Iron Dragon's Sword of Gajeel cut deeper and left scars, " **Why do you hurt these innocent beasts?! They've done nothing to your kind!** " The question came from Black Steel, making the man's eyes glint angrily through the glasses, "Those two brats got in the way of my mission, now outta my way!"

The two beasts soon transformed from majestic flyers into a pair of humans. One was a woman of curvaceous figure and feline enthusiast qualities. She had her hair tied into two ponytails and styled like two cat ears on the crown of her head. Her eyes were thin like a cat's and her mouth was sent upward at the middle like a kittens, making Natsu do a double-take as he thought he saw-"...Lisanna...?" That's when the voice of his boy was heard, "Paatsu! She's trying to kill me with her tits!" And Natsu's growl was heard clearly throughout the entire guild, not being noticed by the one he saw as a threat to his son.

Fire surrounded his form before rocketing him towards the woman who held his son 'hostage', making a large man punch him away, "Hurt her, and you've made a new enemy Horns!" Having seen the attack to his father-figure, Happy engulfed himself in his rage, transforming himself into a creature he wasn't meant to be. Happy became a cat about the size of the woman who'd been holding him a moment ago, his upper jaw's canines became so long that they were visible outside of his mouth. His fur became mangy and unkempt, his tail lengthened, his eyes changed from cute and adorable to murderous and cruel. Happy's wings grew and became temporarily-permanent, loosing their angelic feel and seeming like the wings of a gigantic bird of prey ready to strike at any moment.

" **rrrrrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRRR!** " His roar awoke Natsu, making his cloak of fire appear around his body, which created quite an intimidating aura around him. The large man was knocked back by Happy as he headbutted the man into a support beam, revealing that the man had thin legs compared to his overly large hands and arms. His armored lower-jaw hit the beam, making it splinter while not yet ready to break. His turban-like headgear remained on his head, although moving out of place slightly to reveal locks of his black hair. The large man rose his arm towards Natsu, making red glyphs float around in the air before gathering as a pair of dark arms that gripped the fire breather by the throat.

"Let's...see...if this...wo **rks!** " Everyone looked to him in confusion, when he began to breath natural fire into the arms, "What are you doing?! You can't-" That's when the fire began to swirl within the arms, making the strangled Natsu smirk as he opened his mouth and swallowed the fire _and_ the dark glyphs. Energy circled around him, making him smirk and everyone else look on in terror, _WHAT IS HE?!_ The energy created a dome around him, darkness flying around as disembodied and anonymous heads, bringing an eerie feel to the guild as Natsu cackled, " **I WAS RIGHT! WOOHHH! NOW IT'S TIME TO DESTROY A FEW PIECES OF SHIT FOR COMING IN HERE WITH THE INTENT OF HURTING MY KIN!** "

"HAND OVER THE BITCH WHO SOLD US OUT AT THE TOWER OF HEAVEN!" Erza's eyes widened when she heard that, finally recognizing the voice of-"SIMON?!" The dome burst all of a sudden, revealing Natsu, darkness swirling around him as smoke-like energy and his hair had highlights of dark colors. His arms and legs had mismatch-colored scales growing from them, " **So eating powerful spells combined with fire bring me into Dragon Force, eh?** "

Erza, Gray, Lucy, Happy, Gajeel, Juvia, Juanda, Bora and everybody else stared at Natsu in shock. He'd attained a different form of Dragon Force on just an assumption, and a risky one too. Charging at the man, Natsu dodged a flying card, a flying card that almost hit Romeo had Cana not stepped in the way and got hit by it. The card revealed itself to be a Card of Many Blades, leaving Cana covered in cuts that made her look like a child's scribble drawn person, "At least..." She coughed up blood as she fell into Macao's arms, "I could save...my boy...if only I could..." Natsu's eyes widened as he heard Cana say that, it had been a well kept secret about her connection with Romeo. Gajeel and Natsu, having lost their foster parents who were in essence their real parents, had wide eyes that glowed blood red as they roared and charged the intruders.

" **YOU BASTARDS! DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'VE JUST DONE?! DARKENED FIRE DRAGON'S...RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRR! rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!** " Natsu's roar carried so much anger in it that it could kill an army. " **IRON DRAGON'S...ROAR! rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHH!** " The two attacks merged into one, hitting the tanned blonde young man, the block guy and the man with a metal jaw were hit by the attack head on, but a barrier of magical tubes erected in front of them, stopping the blast from killing them but leaving them in bad shape.

Running over to Cana, Lucy then realized that Romeo had brown highlights in his purple-blue hair. Juanda appeared next to her, channeling as much magicka as she could into the brun/purplette, "Don't you die, don't you die you bitch...! If you die you're never going to see that boy again and you'll regret it!" Macao and Wakaba, normally laidback guys, sent smoke and purple flares at the intruders. Elfman's right arm became made of stone, Gray's elbow and fist were covered in spikes of ice, Nab's entire body was surrounded by an aura of a bear, Jeeter's dance sped up and began to initiate attacks into it as he struck the intruders, Juvia sent a tidal wave towards the ex-slaves with a storm of hatred in her eyes and Lucy summoned a pissed Loke.

" **LET'S GET 'EM!** " Just as everyone was about to strike the intruders, Erza sent a wave of magic through the guild, blowing them away as she stood in front of her old friends from the Tower of Heaven with a _seriously_ pissed expression on her face as she gritted out, "Why are you here?!" The three males and the cat-like woman all stared at her in shock. She, the woman they'd been told had sold them out in the Tower of Heaven, had saved them from certain certain death, "...why...?"

Erza's stern stare shut up the blonde, tan skinned young man, "Because I want answers on why my old friends attempted to kill my guildmates!" A snort left the block guy, "So you now value friendship, Doll? Like when you sold us out at the Tower?!" Natsu, back to full strength, launched himself at the man and held him by the throat as he growled out, " **Don't you _dare_ say she's a traitor. DON'T YOU _DARE_ , CALL HER A SELLOUT! SHE CRIED FOR NIGHTS WHEN SHE GOT HERE, CALLING FOR HER FRIENDS FROM THAT DAMNED TOWER WHERE JELLAL WENT RANTING OVER CONTROL ABOUT! SO DON'T YOU _EVEN THINK_ FOR A SECOND SHE'D TURN HER BACK WILINGLY ON SOMEONE SHE HELD DEAR, DON'T YOU _DARE!_** "

The sounds of choking were heard from him as Natsu's grip tightened, "NATSU!" " **WHAT?! BECAUSE OF THESE FOUR, WE MIGHT LOSE CANA AND A BOY MAY LOSE-** " Erza yelled at him again, "I KNOW! BUT KILLING WALLY WON'T SAVE HER! GO HELP JUANDA SAVE HER!" Natsu's glare turned to the man in his grip, whose face he got in as he roared his anguish before throwing the man into a support beam with another angry roar. He ran over to Juanda's side and started exhaling magicka as a haze, making her wounds heal quicker than with the Desert God Slayer's magic alone.

"Now," Erza growled out through gritted teeth, "Why are you here?!" They all looked to her in fear as she glared daggers hotter than Hell and sharper than a laser cut razor at them, making them gulp in terror. Gajeel got out from behind the bar, his Iron Dragon's Sword transformed as he said, " **Iron Dragon's Lance: Demon Logs!** " His arm transformed from a saw-like blade into a large spearhead with which he launched several spears from, each striking just _an inch_ away from their heads, " **ANSWER HER, YOU SCUMBAGS/SCUMBAGS!** " The roar came from both the Salamander and Black Steel making them see that they'd come to the wrong place to start a ruckus.

" **If you won't answer...,** " Natsu closed his eyes as he said, " **We're not going to get answers from them, so we're going straight to the source!** " His soul left his body quickly as his body returned to healing Cana, everyone hoping that she'd be okay. Natsu's soul entered the youngest of them, a blonde, tan skinned young man with dark, beady eyes. He had an earring with a crystalline cross on it and he also had a tattoo in the shape of the number five. His eyes went empty as he was possessed and as Natsu's voice carried over from Cana's hurt form, " **YOU IGNORANT, FOOLS! HAVE YOU ANY IDEA WHAT HE PLANS TO DO WHEN HE SUMMONS THAT FUCKER!? HAVE YOU ANY CONSIDERATION FOR THE _THOUSANDS OF LIVES_ THAT WILL BE LOST IN EXCHANGE FOR THE LIFE OF THE DARK MAGE?!** " Natu's soul returned to his body as he roared in anguish at the stupidity and naivety of these foolish mages.

The roar he released carried so much magicka in fact, that the rest of Cana's wounds were healed and she was in a picture of health minus the blood loss. Counting on his fingers, Natsu said as he neared them, " **You come in here, hoping to kidnap one of the guild that is my family. You put one of my guildmates and one of my oldest friends, at Death's door. And your reasons are to follow the orders of a stuck-up, ignorant, selfish, motherfucking, heartless, and all around bastard! These're things that have made you...** " His eyes began to glow, anger flooding him as Happy awoke to stand at his side as he snarled at the intruders, " **My ENEMIES!** "

Just as he and Happy were upon the attackers, several of Erza's swords appeared and pinned them to the wall, "I told you, Natsu, not to hurt them. They've seen enough death and felt enough pain to last them lifetimes, don't add onto that. What were they planning?" The pyrovore groaned out painfully, " **They're sent here...by Jellal, or 'Siegrain' as the Council knows him legally...to kidnap you and offer...you...** " His voice was worn out from all the roaring and all the energy he was losing as Dragon Force subsided, "As a...as a sacrifice to bring back...back the First Dark Mage..."

Natsu took a breather, he hadn't entered Dragon Force like that and it was clearly hard on his body as it left him parched. Happy returned to normal, got down from where he was and brought over a chunk of Gray's ice spikes, which Natsu drank once he bit into it. His thirst now quenched, he said one word tiredly, "...Zeref..." Everyone's eyes widened. With the master away, they had no way to alert the Council and even with him it would take time. Zeref was the world's first dark mage, and a powerful one at that.

History books said he had found a way to make himself immortal and, if the history books and Council were to be trusted, created demons that nearly destroyed Fiore hundreds of years ago. So this was nothing to take lightly. Natsu was exhausted and barely conscious as he asked pleadingly, "Can I...sleep...now?..." Erza strode over to him, kneeling next to his tired form, watching as his scales and hair returned to normal.

"Yes," She said, stroking his cheek tenderly, "yes you may." He gave her a weak, grateful smile and drifted off to sleep quietly. Cana was soon taken to the now-doorless infirmary, where they hooked her up to pieces of equipment that would help her body regain nutrients to make up for the bloodloss. Natsu was taken there as well, seeing as they couldn't leave him in the middle of the floor and there weren't any other places to let him sleep as well as replenish his body of the nutrients he'd used up in using Dragon Force.

Just as they placed Natsu on the bed, he drew a card from thin air and brought it to his horns, where it started to glow before fading back to normal. Once more unconscious, everyone conscious who saw him noticed his horns were now only flat spots on his head and that the horns themselves were actually in the card.

Those who'd brought the two to the infirmary returned to the main hall, glaring at the group of intruders for hurting their guildmates, in essence their family. "Why would you try to use me as a sacrifice for Zeref's resurrection?!" Simon spoke up as he got out of the wall he'd been punched into by Natsu, "Because we were told you betrayed us during our escape by Jellal."

Erza's eyes narrowed, " _Jellal_ betrayed us! The moment I got anywhere near freedom, he tried to kill me and went on about how freedom's a lie in and of itself! He said he would use the Tower for creating a world where freedom was 'real'. Did I have any reason to betray you?! What would lead you to believe I would _ever_ betray any of the four of you?!" The four of them then had guilty expressions as she continued.

"Natsu," She said angrily, "wants to _kill_ you right now, and the only person we have here strong enough to stop him longer than a few minutes is me. He traded places with me when the Council was going to put me in prison, and when I hesitated to go through with his plan he said one line that shut me up of any hesitation. He was willing to put himself in my shoes and to endure _my_ sentence, because we were friends. Of course I was skeptical he could act like me, but he then said that if I thought he wasn't able to that our friendship meant nothing. And right now, I'm starting to think that if you thought I'd do something as horrible as sellout my friends, than our friendship really did _mean nothing!_ "

She was outright glowering death at them right now, her hatred being directed at them tenfold. "I would've _killed myself_ to watch you four make it to freedom, and here I find myself questioning you of whether or not my friendship was really worth anything to you...I'm not the best of people, by no means am I a saint, but I know that I can trust my friends and who they are. If they aren't who they are, then I never really knew them or they're not really themselves. So I ask you, here and now," Her harsh glare held not just anger, but hurt at the fact that her old friends thought so little of her, "did I really know _any of the four of you_?!"

They were silent, not even able to look her in the eye as she asked this with a tear-filled glare. "Clearly I was wrong, I never knew any of you...!" She strode out of the guild, leaving them with hurt and almost pleading looks for her to stop as she passed them. Everyone in the guild was silent, seeing this was personal for her. Gajeel's hair was standing on end, his arms and legs had scales crawling up out of instinct towards things he felt hatred towards. Shadow Gear, who'd accepted the Iron Dragon Slayer immediately for 'some, unknown reason'(*I get clawed in the face again* OW), kept glaring at the intruders while also acting as Black Steel's leash-holders.

Mirajane and Elfman kept sending glances towards the attackers as they had a silent conversation. Macao and Wakaba were trying to calm Romeo down as he started crying and kept freaking out at the actions of Fairy Tail's Card mage. Lucy, Gray and Juvia were resisting the urge to attack the intruders. Nab was next to the opening that used to be the infirmary's door, acting as guard instead of acting of Job Requests Board patron and Vijeeter was leaning against the wall next to him, not even a twitch of an attempt to dance.

Happy was sitting in a window high above the first floor, growling lowly and his fur bristling angrily. Max was silent, Warren's thoughts weren't heard by anyone and if they were they were dark enough to stop anyone from listening, Reedus had stopped painting and was hiding behind a support beam out of fear of the strange four who'd come for Erza. That's about the time Natsu's roar of pain and an explosion came from the infirmary, getting _everyone_ rush to figure out what was going on.

What they found was Natsu being engulfed in flames of darkness, " **AAHHHHH! IT HURTS, IT HURTS SO MUCH, MAKE IT STOP! RRRRAAAAWWWWWWHHHHHH!** " Cana had regained consciousness just before the blast, and she was sending card after card through the flames, sealing the raging fires into the cards' individual dimensions. Seeing that there was little choice, the Cards mage readied one card she didn't want to use. The flames kept spreading, making everyone fear for Natsu's safety, let alone Magnolia's. Millianna, the cat-lady, created a magic seal in front of her that sent magical tubes forward into the flames to bind the Fire Dragon Slayer before he hurt himself and others. Levy wrote the word 'water' into thin air, causing a stream to appear and try to dowse the flames.

Seeing an opportunity to get powerful, Gajeel shouted, " **IRON DRAGON'S...ROAR!** " The iron dust went into the fire, before the man with bolts-on-his-body attempted to eat the melted iron grains, but all he got was a failure and a burnt throat. "Not even doing what he did can I contain those flames! I don't think it's gonna be that easy to dowse with _just_ water, Lev!" (Yep, it only took a week and some odd days for Gajeel to come up with a petname for Levi. I'm that much of an asshole! But it makes sense if ya think 'bout it: Levi's more vulgar an' outgoin', she's drawn to our favorite nearly-tone-deaf, Iron Dragon Slayer and she an' her team've basically taken him as one of their own. He's also somewhat drawn to 'er by reasons he's no prior knowledge of and he's also not one to take bullshit like callin' someone by their name or full name, as we've seen in canon. So it makes a lotta sense)

"Right! Jet, Droy, gimme a hand!" Receiving a grunts of affirmation, Jet ran through the flames with buckets of wood Droy made while also running around it to suck out the oxygen the fires needed to stay alight. Juvia sent another stream into the flames, hoping she could help. "Ic **e Devil's...RAGE! AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!** " Gray's shout of rage was well earned because the markings crawled up his body as he released the beam of cold air, ice and snow. Happy grew in size and began to flap his wings, pulling and pushing air away from the flames.

Erza ran up the stares, Flame Empress Armor dawned, as she extended her sword towards the polychromatic flames which were then being absorbed by said blade. Even after she came along the fire didn't stop burning or diminish in any sense of the word. Wally transformed his right arm into a large gun, with which he shot bullets of water into the flames that spread to anywhere but Erza's flame-absorbing sword. Shu sent cards into the flames as well, capturing wildfires inside each one. Millianna's magic tubes(Keep laughin', my stories know what ya did in the dark! Yep, I just used a part'f a song's lyrics) were losing their wrap around Natsu as his screams and thrashes kept getting more and more violent, while her tubes were only able to suppress so much magic in a person.

The fire's heat grew as Natsu kept roaring in pain, making many of them run out of the guild fearing for their lives and the overpowering heat. Juanda and Bora were then able to reach the forefront of the group now that most of the rest of the guild was out of the way, "Desert God's...BELLOW!" "SOUL BARRIER!" Juanda's sandstorm turned into a glass wall around Natsu and his flames, this wall was soon joined by Bora's opaque barrier, reinforcing the weak wall's integrity.

"Now all we have to worry about is underneath him, which isn't much of a problem since I made a pillar of sand under him while everybody was up here. But Bora can only hold him for so long, we're not going to have much time before that wildfire gets out and burns us all to smolders!" The Desert God Slayer's warning was heeded as the card in Cana's hand began to glow like a beacon or a slice of the sun, "Open the barrier, NOW!" Releasing the flames, Juanda's glass wall shattered before Fairy Tail's Card mage threw her card into the center of Natsu's Hellfire, sucking it all into the card.

Everything was perfectly fine, not even a degree over room temperature after the card dropped to the ground and even the card was only a little warm. On the front of the card-

 **Everywhere/Nowhere**

A fair skinned, feminine hand grabs a card and spins it inbetween her fingers before revealing its cover to be one roaring Natsu Dragneel surrounded by multicolored flames. Raising the card to eye level, she spins it around to face no one, "Let's see how much you know..." She says before pulling out a few other cards.

Each card is turned face down, showing the backs to have several guild and nation insignias, "Pick your cards, see if you can remember what's happened..." Drawing a few cards, no one and everyone see a pair of rings, one with a smiling crescent moon and the other with a heart on it while the Fairy Tail emblem glowed bright redish pink behind them. The next card shows a flute with a three-eyed skull at one end being held by a man covered in crocodilian scales made of metal. The final card drawn had a purple moon at the top of the image, with a black haired man breathed a beam of ice and snow as a blonde, young woman held a red key.

"Well done," She says with mild intrigue, "you've payed attention. That's good, now begone!" She throws her arm towards you, sending you back to...

 **The guild infirmary**

-was Natsu surrounded by multicolored flames while roaring. Cana held the card with a somber expression on her face, when Romeo ran up to her and looked to her questioningly, "Why are you sad, Cana?" She looked down to him with a small tear in her eye as she let him look at the card, "I had to trap him in this, otherwise we'd all be dead, and that knowledge doesn't make it hurt any less." He accepted her answer, but the others who saw her could see that that wasn't her only reason for crying.

Macao came in after his son, and stopped at the sight of what was on the card, "The Preservation Card...I was afraid it would come to that. I had a feeling it would be like this and thought so, but it's the sad truth that my hunch was right." Romeo ran to his father and embraced him, leaving Cana to stare longingly at the two.

"I'll take Natsu now, Cana, we both know you don't need anything else weighing you down right now..." Said Card mage handed the card acting as Natsu's prison into Erza's outstretched hand before running down the stares and out of the guild, leaving a seriously confused Lucy with the rest of the guild who understood the reasons behind her tears.

Juanda and Bora faded into the background as they'd learned to do through the years, basically becoming invisible to the rest of the guild. Lucy kept blinking in confusion after Cana while Happy,Gray, Erza and Macao stared after her with blank stares that held somber eyes. This day just kept getting better and better, and this was one of the days the master was allowed a small break or went on a job. From Natsu's card words were heard, "Burn and whither my friend, let me tear your world asunder..."

Everyone's eyes widened at that, "The skies burn black..." The words were like a promise. "Rivers bleed..." It was as if he was making a threat! "I will never stop searching and growing..." His card began to glow brightly, making everyone's already wide eyes widen even more if possible and cover their eyes in pain. "Never stop hunting...!" A pulse of heat left the card in Erza's hand. "AND ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED!" Magnolia's entire population heard- _felt_ -that promise, feeling fear at what he meant, as the heat subsided and the card's image changed.

The image of Natsu was no longer pained, it was calm, deliberate, coherently felt, and most of all, powerful. He stood, back facing the onlooker, with his head turned to look out to the one staring. His flames were still there, burning at waist height, but nowhere near as bad as they had been. There were flames riding his back, shaped as wings and a dragon's head as a hood, making him look quite intimidating. And above him, floating there like a ghost in a blanket of few-and-far-in-between fireflies, was the moon. It was what was on the moon that drew attention, however. There was a beautiful face carved into the face of the moon, this face belonged to him mate, a testament to his love for her as he was frozen with his arm outstretched to reach her.

Happy climbed up Erza's leg and armor to sit on her shoulder, a stream of tears running from his eyes silently, "Why...WHY IS EVERYONE I LOVE GOING AWAY!" That cry was heard across dimensions, making a young woman with long, silver hair and her sister blink their eyes in confusion and heartbreak...

 **Everywhere/Nowhere**

(Cue: Avicii-Hey Brother)

The card holding Natsu is spun between her fingers, "It appears you have not lost you touch for the dramatic, aye?" Across from her, on the cloud of dust they shared, sits a cloaked figure. "You never cease to please our Master and appease his lust for action..." She giggles, flooding nearby ears and hearts with joy. "But is it enough, I wonder, for you?"

The figure looks to her, his eyes unseen but not unfelt, "To what do you allude, Fate Weaver?" She looks to him with her ultraviolet-colored eyes, "Need I even answer, Moonlit Sun?" He merely chuckles, "Hirhir, fair that thou answer truthfully than with unneeded lies, River Huntress. Fair indeed! Now, what is it that thou mean by thy question?"

A sigh leaves her voice, echoing throughout their unknowable and always known location. "You always seem to overdo it, and if you aren't careful, they might catch onto our Master's plans. You know what would happen if that were to transpire..." His chortling resumes, making her grimace _ever so slightly_ , barely noticeably to the mortal eye.

"Hirhir, I know all too well what would happen, Card Dealer, but I've no intention of letting that come to pass or for them to have even an inkling of what must and will be done. For that is what we done for years, every time around, is it not?" She concedes at that, sighing in defeat, "I could never win an argument with you, even we were mortal, no matter how many times we go through this loop, Sun-Moon. No matter what name we wear, what title we carry, we were, are, have, will, and had been who we are."

He nods, a nostalgic smile on his face, "Is it not incredible how many times we have seen, done, experienced and caused so much, many things of which we have already, while still retaining the mortal desire to keep learning and the capability to yet grow?" She looks up to him, a question in her eyes, "To what are you referring, Moon Chaser?" The grin on his face grows, revealing his sharp teeth, to be visible to mortal acknowledgement. "We have seen, done, and caused many things, thou and I. But no matter how many times we do, we keep doing it. The things we've done to appease our Master is never boring, while it should still seem dull, this monotony, no? Still..."

Another voice is heard and reveals a pair of cleft-hoofed feet to be trailing a path of earth through the cloud of dust, "We are nowhere near finished with our task, Andromeda. That is why we do as we have for centuries, learning new things from each lifetime, as I have found from each cycle and both forms." Andromeda, as there is nothing else to refer to her as, looks to the satyr-like woman standing next to them.

"Ah, if it isn't the Gatekeeper and Ward, herself. How art thou, Ursie?" ('Ur', like the mage, duh, an' 'sie' like the letter 'c' sayin' it's name in school) The blonde-pinkette looks to her seniors somewhat shyly, showing off one of her previous personalities, "I-I-I've been alright, Nova-Luna-san. H-H-H-How're y-y-y-y-you?" He gets up and steps over to place a loving hand on top of Ursie's horned head with a soft, toothy smile.

"Just like thy mothers, thou always act cautious around those who art dangerous, ally and enemy alike. Thou mustn't change too much, or all destruction may occur upon us, and with us, the multiverse..." The cloaked figure walks away before leaping off the floating piece of dust and rock, making it shift slightly, as he disappears among the empty-fullness they accommodated as a homeland. He leaves the two young womenly beings to their own devices, "How art thou at a friendly game of Strip Poker?" All Andromeda receives is an 'eep' and an expression that has a blush which travels to Urcie's entire body. This makes Andromeda smirk like a wolf does at the sight of sheep.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

 _THAT'S_ a motherfuckin' wrap ladies, gents and other! I wanted to end with the card bein' drawn, but this chapter was like, 'NOPE, FUCK YOU AND FUCK YOUR PRINCIPLES! YOU'RE FINISHING ME, AND THAT'S FINAL!', on my sorry ass. Plus, this bitch that's my inspiration an' eternal torment kept hurtin' my psyche. That's what the clawin's of my face are, my mentality bein' injured by my _very, own inspirational construct of mentality_. Says a lot 'bout how much I like myself, huh? Ah well, whatever. All good things come to those who wait, an' no, Ursie ain't Aries, sorry kids. So y'all're gonna have to wait if ya wanna know what the Hell happens next, 'cause I'm just _that evil_ , MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! As always: R&R, no flamin' my ass, constructive criticism, and SEE YA-GOOD NIGHT!


	14. Training starts now! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!

Whaz up ladies, gents and other! It might seem like I'm rushin' this series, an' in some ways y'all're right, but in many more I'm not. The canon series has arcs that can, an' usually do, take place in a single night. The Galuna Arc, Tower of Heaven Arc runs along that line as well but then 'gain it's unknown how long Erza was out of commission when she was kidnapped, the Macao Arc, an' the Everlue Arc are all great examples. Also, someone asked 'bout the frozen, feminine claws an' if they belong to Mizore from Rosario+Vampire. The answer's no to that question, but Mizore's gonna be in this story as another guild's-*A frozen clawed-hand covers my mouth*

 _Thoughts or emphasis_

'Paraphrasin'

"Normal speech"

" **Non-human speech** "

 **XXXXXXXXXXX**

(Cue: Fall Out Boy-Alone Together) Natsu was roaring, his voice carried so much hatred and hurt. Here he was, learning everything about anything and nothing, inside of a _flash card!_ His mind was taking a beating unknown to even the gods themselves and his heart was feeling the hurt of millions of emotions that would extinguish zillions of lives if exposed to them. Not even the evilest of devils deserved this much pain, and that said something for many cultures Natsu had come to meet.

He could see where Lisanna was, what was going to happen, where he was going to die before becoming Azreal permanently, and he could even say the name of the stranger. Backwards. In _three hundred, ninety-nine languages and counting!_ The memories he had weren't all his. The hearts he felt beating in his breast were not his, nor were they ever his. The power he held within himself was never to be had by any being, and that was the way it would stay for as long as there was magic in all the worlds. The magic he carried as his was to never be had, for he knew who and _what_ he was. This knowledge, this power, this magic would never and I mean _never_ be allowed into the hands of anyone who desired it.

"...The hearts beat as one..." He chanted once, silent yet loud. "...My mind tis nor theirs...Her life lives another...I see too much, and yet not enough is known...These lies are to be tried for their crimes..." His hearts were bursting from his chest, his mind was ripping itself apart, and his soul was weeping for it all to end. All he could really do was see what, where, why, how and who was going, did, wouldn't, couldn't, could, would, didn't and wasn't going to happen in the past, present and future. He saw each possible future, past and present.

He'd found one potential timeline where he'd dressed up as a _very sad_ looking Erza and crashed the Magic Council's court, which made him feel happy for one billionth of a second. The only thing he couldn't do, with all his power that could trump universes, was escape the card... _I'm so screwed it's magical! Only good thing that's happened so far is that I know where Lisanna is, that way once I'm out I can get to he-_

An energy and anti-energy engulfed him, releasing him from the card all at once.

 **Physical realm of existence**

(I'm not gonna go into the shit that'd happen in canon 'cause my story's basically given canon the bird)

" **GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM! I'M BACK MOTHERFUCKING BITCHES, WHO WANTS TO DIE FIRST!** " He caught sight of Jellal preparing an attack at Erza and Simon. _Not today, tomorrow, or yesterday pal!_ Just as the attack left Jellal's hands, Natsu appeared in front of Simon with a Fire Dragon's Roar leaving his mouth. "NATSU!" Erza's call was given no heed, as the flames were overpower, bringing a smirk to Natsu's face.

Opening his mouth wide, he ate the attack with gusto, powering him to levels he'd not had the last time he was out of the card. The only drawback, however, was he lost _everything_ he'd learned while in the card's dimension. Everything looked inverted for Natsu as everything he'd learned, all of his hopes of finding his mate, went up in uneatable flames. With pained tears in his eyes, he called out, " **HEAVENLY FIRE DRAGON'S...ROOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRR! rrrrrrrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!** " The beam he released made everyone's eyes widen. Wally's glasses slid down his nose as his body as his sight returned to normal so he could see properly in light, Sho's pupilless eyes shrank so that it looked like he had pupils in _extreme_ shock while his hair lengthened, Happy's tears stopped at the sight and sound of his father as his wings grew, Millianna's cat ear-like hair twitched in recognition of the voice as his enormous amount of magic leaked out and granted her _one_ wish, Gray's ice spikes grew to become armor, Lucy's clothes color and design from Azreal and Natsu temporarily fusing, Simon's jaw started to heal and Erza's tears stopped as she saw Natsu and Azreal become one for this one battle.

Jellal was hit full force, but thanks to 'Zeref's influence he wasn't killed. "HAHAHAHA! YOU CAN'T KILL ME, I'M THE TOOL OF ZEREF!" Natsu/Azreal walked forward, steam coming off his skin, " **Thou speakth as though I intended to kill thee so quickly...I shall payth thou back for _every, single, one_ of thy transgressions! I hath no desire to dirty these** **children's,** " He gestured to the surrounding battered mages, " **hands** **with thy tainted blood, so I shan't allow them in this battle, only thyself and I shall fight. And I promise thee, I _promise_ , thou shan't make it out of this place that smells of Etherion in one piece one way, or another...!**"

Spreading his wings, Natsu/Azreal launched himself at Jellal, barely missing the 'tool of Zeref' whilst landing on an Ether-nano in the process. He smirked at the crystal underneath his left wing, " **One who hath made Erza cry!** " Jellal looked to Natsu now, pitying curiosity peaked at the young man's voice when he saw what Natsu/Azreal held. His eyes widened and narrowed in fear as the being before him smiled with still pained tears in his eyes, " **I shall end this battle quickly, thou hath not kill my kin and shan't be tortured for it...Aaaawwww** " Opening his mouth widely, Natsu/Azreal began to eat the Ether-nano with gusto.

"He-HE'S EATING THE ETHER-NANO!" He finished eat and swallowed loudly, making almost everyone grimace at the image of what the Etherion-infused Lacrima was enduring in the pits of Hell that was Natsu's stomach and at the idea of what it tasted like. Natsu/Azreal smirked whilst he was engulfed in the numerous elements that made up Etherion energy.

" **AH YES, THAT HIT THE SPOT RIGHT THERE! GOD DRAGON'S BELLOWING...ROOOOOOAAAARRRRR! rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!** " The blast Natsu released was directed towards the sky, destroying all of the top of the Tower of Heaven and sending most of those on it back a meter of seven. The blast was visible from both sides of the ocean on each continent's shore, letting everyone who saw it know that there was some serious shit going on.

" **Even god's must die at some point, Fool, and today I end your life with a clear conscience...! HAH!** " That bark of laughter sent Jellal flying off the edge, screaming in fear for his life. Even though there was water underneath him, he wouldn't survive. Natsu/Azreal roared to the sky, letting all of the magic and anguish out all at once, and that was much more powerful together than apart from Natsu's battle with Jellal. Slowly separating from one another, Natsu was left crying while he roared in pain.

"SO CLOSE! I SAW IT, I SAW AND KNEW EVERYTHING, BUT IT SLIPPED FROM MY GRASP AGAIN. DAMNATION TO ALL THE DAMNED AND SAVED, DAMNATION TO ALL INNOCENT AND CURSED! DAMNATION TO EVERYTHING! **RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!** " His pain was felt across the oceans, making everyone everyone who felt it tear up while those right near him were trying to stop themselves from crying out blood as Natsu succamb to sleep.(Uncue music. I don't want shit 'bout how much this fight sucked or how much I rushed this, 'kay?! I don't have enough confidence or experience as a writer to make this arc better or different without completely ruinin' it, 'sides, this makes more sense with how my story runs...)

The others all felt the sadness and pain Natsu did, and they too were feeling exhausted. Slowly, they made their way back to the boat they had gotten onto the Tower's island on. In his exhaustion, Simon whispered, "...I...love you...Erza..." Said scarlet haired knightress heard him and said tiredly but clearly, "I love you too, you're like the older brother I never had..." Everyone who figured out Simon's feelings winced at that, knowing that must have hurt him worse than any blade or attack could. Unknown to everyone on the boat, however, a floating orb shattered and caught Jellal's unconscious-from-hitting-a-wall-too-hard-in-a-failed-recovery-attempt form before he could die from hitting the water too hard.

 _I still have uses for you, Jellal, just not the uses I used to have..._ Thought a pink-haired girl using a spell to use another mage's magic, _You've a part to play in someone else's game, or so future-her said._

 **Fairy Tail guildhall, days later**

The boat washed ashore, everyone barely holding onto life as it was from Natsu's aggressive magical output and the ever scorching sea-sun shining down on them. Running up to the boat were several mages that looked familiar yet so foreign to the drifting group, "The-shock...mill the now! I sai-now!" What they heard was garbled as they fell in and out of consciousness.

One face and scent stood out to the barely-alive-as-it-is Natsu. A young woman with long, purple hair and a gentle face was in the background, glaring at him while exuding this draconic scent. Or odor, he couldn't tell with how dehydrated he was among other things. Suddenly, he was scooped up in strong arms with the sounds of chains being barely heard. "Am i...finally dead...if so, where's...where's..."

Loke held Natsu in his arms fireman style, "You're not dead yet, and don't you dare think you're going to! You helped me out of certain death, now it's my turn." The pyrovoric mage smiled deliriously, "Nice to hear a...a...a familiar voice, or is it face...i don't even know anymore. All I know right now's...that I'm tired of fighting...i know she'd say to not give up but i don't think she's been drier than a desert before...before she was taken in by-"

"Don't try to talk, Natsu! You're too dehydrated and need immediate attention like the others or you're not gonna make it!" Juanda's voice was something that attracted Natsu's attention as he blearily caught sight of Juanda and Bora getting the others out of the boat. He smiled at the two of them, "You said my name...You two should really..."

"What did I just say?!" He continued as he looked to Bora expectantly, "Have you asked her out yet...you know you wanna, after all...after all...after all, life's short and the attraction's there..." Natsu passed out as he finished with them blushing up a storm. Out of the crowd stepped the young woman, her age was estimated to be about fourteen, she moved forward towards Natsu with her cream-colored hood pulled over her head.

"...-Dragon's Tilapian-Healing Paw..." She whispered, her hands generating an energy of some kind as paws while swiping _through_ the bodies of the group. They all returned to peak condition, slowly at first before they were back in tip top shape. Looking to the young woman in amazement, Bora asked for the three of them, "Who are you...?"

"...Mizore..." She whispered distrustingly as she stalked away, glaring at Natsu's head as he got up and as she left. (I'm gonna bring some pieces from other anime into this story, doesn't make it a crossover. Crossovers involve characters havin' a legitimate connection to their original anime/manga series. Be it memory, past experience, gettin' thrown into another anime, etc. Those're actual crossover qualities while what I'm doin' is integratin' certain characters into the history of the anime's universe)

Mizore, once she was out of the crowd, ran into the forest crying tears of hurt. She'd wussed out once she saw the face of the man she'd said she'd make pay for selling out Slayers. But when she got right down to it. _I'm a coward, even Mom-mom would agree with me!_ Staring to the sky with tears in her eyes, she released a light roar from her throat. Her roar was heard in the wind carrying over her pain to the four dragons conversing miles away.

 **Fourth Generation Dragons, Sukane and Banethras**

" **What?!** " Banethras looked towards the general direction of Magnolia in conclusion, " **I could've sworn I heard...** " He looked confusedly at the invisible wind when Sukane spoke up, " **I know. I heard it too, Banethras. It's her...** " The group started moving again, heading for the Third Generation Dragons' locations. Sukane and Banethras had chosen to look for Weisslogia while Lunamei and Tsunadeha went for Skiadrum.

They had all agreed to meet at the meeting point of their four territories to discuss the disappearance of Lunamei's daughter. " **Banethras,** " Sukane said softly, curiously. " **How were your children the last time you checked?** " The Stone Dragon looked to his 'fishy' friend surprisingly, " **They were fine the last time I checked. Teem was in charge as usual while Plume was doing as he said, why?** " His question made Sukane look to the ground guiltily, " **I feel neglectful of my daughter, for I've not kept tabs on her and now I hear tears. That makes me worry that I've not done my part in taking care of her...** " Taking pity on his piscine partner, he rammed his head against her long neck.

" **AH! Why would you do that?!** " She got up and glared at him as he said, " **You haven't neglected your beloved daughter in anyway, in fact you've done her a justice. If you had decided to intervene with anything that goes on with her life, she would never be able to do a thing for herself!** "

 **Back in Magnolia**

Natsu tried got off of Loke's shoulders with little success. "Thanks for that , Leo, I thought I was a goner there for a sec." Leo dropped Natsu on his ass ungracefully as he said, "I didn't, it was some Dragon Slayer that said her name was Mizore. Any idea who she might be?" He shook his head no as he helped Simon up, "...You're a brave man, Simon, confessing to her when you might not have survived...That takes guts, my friend..." Simon smiled at him, his metal jaw staying on even though his jaw had returned to its original position.

"I owe you, Natsu, for fixing my jaw, but I don't feel very gratified for what I did." Natsu chuckled warmly as he got the larger man to a bench so he could sit next to the man as Natsu got a still unconscious Erza off the ground. "Believe me, it's never easy taking rejection. The first time I asked out my mate, she broke my balls. Literally, she kicked me in the balls hard enough to break a normal human man's genitalia into fourths! So, don't take it too hardly, there's always next time. That, my dear friend, is what it's all about: not taking no for an answer unless you fall for someone else while learning humility. And trust me, that's one of the hardest parts! Hahahaha! It took me years to learn even an ounce of humility, so you've got that down."

Simon looked to the unconscious Erza with sad eyes, "But how can I tell her when she sees me as only..." Natsu chuckled again, "It's hard to change, but...!" He poked at Erza a few times, making her wake up but she was too stiff to move. "I can't move at the moment, Natsu, you're going to hav-HAHAHA!" The reason for her laughter was Natsu's fingers tickling her nonstop while she begged him to stop.

"You used to work me over pretty good when we were kids, now it's your turn, Haha!" His victorious warcry was accompanied by the sound of Erza's laughter, "STOP IT, STOP IT, HAHAHA-STOP IT!" "Not until you submit...!" The cheeky tone in his voice made Erza defy him like always, "NEVE-HAHAHA-NEVER!" Natsu smiled mischievously, "Then prepare for torment!"

This went on for about an hour until she finally conceded to his demand, and by that time everyone nearby was laughing their asses off at Erza's begging and defying of Natsu. Natsu sat down next to her, his face a blank as he stared into the cloudy sky. _Why do I feel so...pitying? I've not seen any pained being or been at Death's Door, so why? Why..._

As soon as that thought crossed his mind, he grasped at his heart. Everything felt painful, the very blood in his veins hurt. The eyes of everyone around them widened as he was caught in the arms of Gray and laid carefully on the ground as his eyes flickered in and out of focus. "D-Damn it...why now...?!" Natsu's soul became visible as it tried to escape his body through his back, like an image of the Dragon Slayer that became slanted and discolored. He got up all of a sudden, his body still hurting like all Hell, when he punched the ground and roared. The surrounding area was then engulfed by his magicka, the roar carrying power behind it and pain, as he defied his death sentence.

His eyes were still unfocused and his body was deathly pale, but he wasn't going down without a fight. There was level after level of emotion as wind started to pick up around him, the waves became larger and more powerful, the sky started to rumble with thunder and fire sparked alight on Natsu's very skin. " **I AIN'T GOING DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT, DEATH! SO YOU CAN KISS YOUR ASS OUTTA MY LIFE UNTIL I'M GOOD AND READY! rrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRRR!** " All of Magnolia heard him and a sense of inspiration passed over all who were in the port town. Natsu's soul wavered faster and sporadically before he was yanked back into his body, a grunt of pain and a sigh of relief escaped him as he whispered, " **And I'm not going to be ready until I complete my self-made purpose: To return Slayers to this world and make those who've passed into your arms proud. Just be patient, I'll be there as late as I'm done!** "

The environment returned to normal slowly, but everyone still had that remaining sense of encouragement and inspiration. One little boy felt especially happy, as his idol wasn't going to fall anytime soon and that he'd still have his older brother-figure to follow in the footsteps of. Natsu stood up, standing on shaky legs before he faltered and was caught by Gray, "You're _definitely_ not dying until you finish teaching me what you can about Slayer Class Magic, Firebrains!"

"Awright," He chuckled. "Let's get started, assoonasItakeanap!" Natsu was then out like a light, fighting off soul severance single-handedly was no small feat by any stretch and he was clearly exhausted from having done so much in such 'little' time.

 **Natsu's memories: the day Lisanna was kidnapped and Natsu's first roar**

Lisanna screamed in fright as the Forest Vulcan carried her off, the stench of sick arousal emanating off of the simian beast. In her small arms that couldn't reach around to complete the circumference of, was the egg that Natsu discovered. She hadn't let it go since she and Natsu caught scent of the beast carrying her away. "NATSU, HELP ME!"

The wind blew through her hair as the monkey-like ape swung from tree to tree, until the voice of her parental partner was heard loud and clear. " **FIRE DRAGON'S CLAW!** " Natsu's fiery foot came down on the Vulcan's head, making a dent appear as it dropped down to the ground and acted as an unintentional cushion for the girl in its arms.

Landing down next to her, Natsu pried the Forest Vulcan's arms off of his 'hut-mate' as she was. " **Go!** " He said with a strained growl, " **I can't keep his arm off of you forever, Lisa! GO!** " Taking a hint, she ran under the beast's heavy arm as Natsu readied another attack. The Vulcan got up and punched the young pyrovore into a tree, _Damn!_ It leaped at the strawberry-haired boy, feet landing on his chest. Natsu released a gasp of pain, making the hidden Lisanna shut her eyes and whisper to the one within their egg, "...Your Paatsu needs help, Baby, please lend him your strength while I lend him mine...!"

As if the child within the egg had heard her and had done what she had said, Natsu was up and called out, " **Fire Dragon's...ROAR! rrrrrrrrr,** " Lisanna's eyes opened suddenly at the sound of a roar building itself in his throat. " **rrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!** " The roar he let out made the surrounding area light up with his fiery voice. The Vulcan had wide eyes as it was hit full force by the empowered attack, burning its fur to nothing but ashes. Natsu didn't stop however, turning his roar to the sky, the clouds started to turn stormy and thunderous. He stopped all of a sudden, a tired smile gracing his lips as he looked to his downed a opponent and roared to the sky in triumph.

That's when the rain started, getting the two of them to run for their makeshift hut. Once inside, Lisanna put the egg down gently and tackled Natsu in a loving embrace. "THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!" She kept going on with that, excitement obvious in her voice as Natsu tried to pry her off of him with no luck. It was ten minutes before she stopped and wrapped her arms around their egg, smiling warmly at her savior.

"You're welcome," He said with a slight blush, "Lisanna." Soon after saying that, he too embraced the egg and fell asleep as well with Lisanna cuddling up to her hero. The hearts of all three, the two watching the egg and the unborn child within, beat as one. Loving one another as their energies mixed as a family.

 **Natsu's memories: Happy hears his father's poetry for the first time**

Their boy had finally said his first word besides the occasional 'Aye' and they'd decided to take him on a job with them. Nothing dangerous, just a simple errand run with a possible hint of violence, just what the proverbial doctor ordered. Happy was nestled in Natsu's hair, walking in circles and in place as he softened up his 'nest' while attracting a crowd of onlookers who sighed at the flying feline's adorable behavior.

When he'd hatched his parents had known he was magic, after all, cat's don't hatch from eggs. But the discovery of his flight exceeded their expectation and that just stuck, as that word became more and more often around the guild. So they'd decided that referring to Happy as a flying cat was both stupid and time wasting, so they started calling him an Exceed because he always exceeded what they thought he could do.

At the moment Natsu was carrying an unconscious Lisanna on his back, trying to find a spot to hole up for the night. It was their second day on the job and they hadn't come across any enemies in the small, nameless town they'd taken the job in. All Natsu really knew to do for this job was to beat up some people and keep a guy's daughter safe, other than that he was just along for show.

"Paatsu," Happy's young voice reached his father-figure's ears, making the pink-headed fire breather groan at the nickname, "Why are you so quiet? Normally you'd be challenging Lismama," As if aware of her boy's words, said platinum-haired girl nuzzled her head closer to Happy's and snuggled herself closer to Natsu's warm body. "To a battle or something, but you're so quiet, something the matter?"

Natsu chuckled at his boy, even though he was still young he could still call himself a father and that was at first a score over Gray before becoming a gift in and of itself. Happy yawned quietly, the odd feeling of exhaustion overcoming him again, "Nighty night...Paatsu..." The fire breather then felt the purring from his boy, making him release a reptilian purr himself, which made his passengers nuzzle more into him.

A soft smile graced his lips as he looked to the sky, the stars swirling around above him like a light show that never stopped while never being seen. "Stars watch over our souls and right our wrongs. Sons," He closed his eyes and could feel Happy through his spiky locks of pink. "learn as we do our best to set them on a path to do what they think is right. Families guide our hearts and souls along our trails of self-discovery, never ceasing to love us no matter what we do. For that is who we are and where we stand, as a race. As a kind..." Natsu looked to his parental partner, Lisanna, with an endearing smile on his face. "As a family..."

Unknown to Natsu, Lisanna was waking up and Happy hadn't fallen asleep. Their hearts surged with love for their carrier, now seeing who and what he really was: A poet, a wordsmith, a fighter, a father and-"When I get older, can I be your wife?" Lisanna's question made Natsu freeze up as he looked over his shoulder to see Lisanna's pleading eyes and loving smile as she tightened her grip around Natsu's shoulders.

"Please?!" He blushed at that and started stuttering like a fool, "I-I-I-I-I d-d-d-d-don-don-don-don't know whe-whe-whe-whe-where this is-s-s-s-s coming from, L-L-Lisanna!" She gave him a winning smile at his failed attempt to deny what he'd just done. "You're words were beautiful, Natsu, please be mine!" She nuzzled her head into the space between his shoulder blades, rubbing him in just the way she wanted to make him say what she wanted. Happy piped up a quick, "Aye!"

Natsu was blushing up an inferno, an achievement in and of itself, as he tried to think up an excuse to deny her offer. It was when he felt her head rubbing against the spot between his shoulder blades, a place he could never seem to reach no matter the circumstance, that he started to waver slightly. Happy then got down to his father's shoulders and began to knead the tight muscles that had been overworked.

The small claws of Happy didn't pierce Natsu's flesh, they didn't even make him uncomfortable. Quite the opposite actually, they made him feel looser than ever and the idea of agreeing started seeming less and less repelling. His fortitude waning, Happy and Lisanna doubled their efforts as Natsu started groaning in pleasure from their rubbing and kneading. It was about thirty minutes of this, an impressive feat for an eleven year-old, before he finally conceded.

"Fine," He said with a sigh of resignation and pleasure, "I'll be your husband-" Lisanna literally jumped off her new fiance's back and did a little dance with a smiling Happy flying around her like he'd done something amazing. Natsu groaned in appreciation of what they'd done to the knots in his shoulders and back, while thinking about what he'd just signed up for. _I guess nobody gets hurt from this arrangement, besides, if she's as nice as she is right now...I think I could live with this decision!_

 **Natsu's memories: the asking-outing**

Natsu sat at the table five meters away from the door, his normal spot that had saved him from the Demon's wrath on many occasions. Today was the day he'd been preparing for, and yet he was scared to near death. What if it didn't work? What if he screwed up? These worries circled in his mind over and over again. He may have seemed calm, but that was just a charade he'd worked on months ago. Happy flew over and landed on his father's head, "Hello, Natsu," He said in a chipper tone, though Natsu kind of missed his son's old nickname for him.

"Whatcha thinking about, Natsu?" The innocent curiosity in his voice was a wake up call from Natsu's staring at a distance of Lisanna. He looked to his son with conflicted eyes, "Are you okay, Natsu? You look kinda scared, did Aunt Demira threaten to castface you again?!" The word he'd used was Natsu's own invention, as the Exceed had been told to ask the pyrovore about it and Natsu told him that 'castfacing' was a form of torture when what the cat had actually heard was castrate, but that wasn't for him to know right now.

"Hirhirhir, no Happy, your aunt didn't threaten me...Not yet anyway." His shrug of his shoulders and far away look let Happy know that something was up. Every time the flying feline found an angle to look his father in the eye Natsu would look in another direction. "What are you hiding, Natsu? It's no fun when secrets aren't shared!" The conversation was put on hold by the sudden appearance of Lisanna right behind her eventual fiance.

"And what are my two boys talking about, now?" Natsu jumped and growled in surprise. When he saw who it was who scared the Bejesus out of him enough for him to land at least five feet away, he relaxed enough to say, " _Jesus Christ_ , Lisanna, don't do that! I nearly died of a heartattack, then where would you be, huh?!" He said this in a 'I just got scared shitless' way of speaking and made most of the guild laugh good-naturedly.

He and Lisanna had an interesting love-hate relationship. They were the closest of friends and the strongest of rivals at the same time. Their fights always caused issues so the guild had actually banned them from fighting in the guildhall or face suspension. They could both go for hours in combat, driving most of Magnolia batshit with how much damage they could cause. The Magic Council had even sent a lesser Seat there personally to make them stop the destruction they caused or face disbandment.

Right now thought, Natsu saw the young woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. "HAHAHAHA! You got me good, this time!" His hearty laughter wasn't a mood killer for everyone, in fact it was the complete and utter opposite, it just caught Lisanna by surprise that he was laughing at being scared to near death.

"Alright, Natsu-Shishishishi-what's your game?" He stopped and looked up thoughtfully, "Uhm...Life? Hirhirhirhirhir!" The snickering continued until he calmed down enough to start phase one of his plan. (Cue-Daughtry-Battleships) His breathing slowed as he inhaled deeply and quietly while starting out with a low volume.

I'm sinking inside

And the mast and lines are breaking down tonight

I've swallowed my pride

His voice rose enough for everyone to at least hear him. A smile gracing his lips as his eyes staid closed while everyone stopped and listened to him. Happy started making sound effects that coincided with the tune and watched his mother as she listened to his father.

But we're drowning in the ocean and it's tearing my heart open, baby

We're high then we're low

First it's yes than it's no

And we're changing like the tides

He finally rose his voice from low to a relatively loud pitch. Everyone thinking, _How'd he keep this under wraps for so long?!_

But I want you I need you and I guarantee you we'll make it out alive

'Cause I don't wanna fight this war!

Even when the waves get rough

I don't wanna see the day we say we've had enough

And I don't wanna fight this war!

Bullets coming off our lips

But we stick to our guns and we love like battleships

The middle and index finger of both hands together and started acting like guns.

Like battleships

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

And the cannon goes-

Bombs fly through the air.

Everybody felt the love he experienced every time his eyes befell Lisanna. They saw what they'd said when they were kids that one night. Each fight they knew they'd fought was shown.

And I know we're both playing not so fair

Show, show me you care

Got my white flag up and it's waving

'Cause you know this love's worth saving, baby

We're high then we're low first it's yes then it's no

And we're changing like the tides

He stood up now, looking Lisanna in her beautiful blue, teary eyes as he kept singing.

But I want you, I need you and I guarantee you we'll make it out alive

'Cause I don't wanna fight this war

Even when the waves get rough

I don't wanna see the day we say we've had enough

And I don't wanna fight this war

Bullets flying off our lips

Bisca and Alzack took that moment to shoot their guns into the ceiling without doing any damage for emphasis as Natsu continued with the whole guild teary eyed.

But we stick to our guns and we love like battleships

Like battleships

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

And the cannon goes-

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

And We LOVE!

YEAH WE LOVE!

The gunshots didn't end, filling in for Natsu as he kept going with those two lines until he got ready to finish the song.

I'm sinking inside

Can we finally put our weapons down tonight?

'Cause I don't wanna fight this war!

Even when the waves get rough

I don't wanna see the day we say we've had enough

And I don't wanna fight this war!

Bullets flying off our lips

But we stick to our guns and love like battleships

LIKE BATTLESHIPS!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

AND THE CANNON GOES-

His loud voice carried such passion that it made all the other ladies want him, until they realized who _he wanted_ and they started to silently edge Lisanna to say yes.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

AND WE LOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEE!

Yeah we love

AND WE LOOOOOOVVVVVVEEEE!

Yeah we love

Love like battleships...

(Uncue music) Finished singing, he reopened his eyes to see Lisanna covering her mouth in shock at what her best friend and partner parent of Happy had just done for her. He on the other hand was kind of worried, "Yeah...I know my voice sucks and all, but was it that bad?" She then slapped him across the face once and punched him in the stomach, getting everyone minus Mirajane to wince in sympathy for the lovestruck Natsu Dragneel.

"I'll take that as a ye-?!" His lips were then claimed by one joyous Lisanna Strauss, "You're not getting me without some pain, you fire-breathing bastard!" Her excitement made Natsu chuckled deeply before smashing his lips against hers again, which made the rest of the guild erupt in cheers before everyone decided drinking themselves into early graves was a good idea. Unknown to everyone at the time, Cana had recorded everything with one of her cards. "Hehehe, even if I don't get Natsu I can still get his voice...!"

 **Natsu's house, a day after the events at the port**

(Cue: Maroon 5-Payphone/The Wanted-Glad You Came Timeflies Remix/Kesha-Die Young. No shit 'bout the songs I choose, 'kay?! It'll make sense when ya see what Gray's gotta endure) Natsu awoke with a yawn, finally sleeping peacefully as his dreams weren't torturing him anymore or for the time being. He looked around his room with a small bit of surprise, he'd never heard Lisanna say he walked in his sleep so this was news to him. That's when he picked up the scent of one sleeping Gray Fullbuster, who'd somehow managed to get Natsu in his sleeping jeans.

 _He,_ Natsu thought contemplatively. _looks so peaceful and happy...Yep, time to make him hate me!_ Taking in a deep breath he thought better of his previous plan since he needed to live in his house. So he went with a 'safer' route. "Fire Dragon's Claw!" His burning foot hit Gray on top of the head, waking him up in a rather rude way.

"Wake up, Ice Princess, we're getting shit done early so I can get back to sleep as soon as you get started!" Those words were accompanied by a smirk of superiority. Happy murmured in his sleep about fish and dancing, making the two Slayers look to the Exceed confusingly before brushing it off as nothing while Natsu dragged Gray by the scruff of the neck out the door with a cruel smile on his face.

Letting go of the stripping student of Ur's scruff, he stood there with his arms crossed and pointed towards the waves seriously. "Ice Devil's Rage into the ocean twenty times, and each time you stop add ten more to that! NOW!" Gray saluted in fright as he prepared his attack, "Ice Devil's...RAGE! aaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" The beam of ice, snow and freezing air went into the waves, freezing the water for a moment before shattering and returning to normal.

"Again!" The raven haired mage nodded and did it again, the markings acting as binding and ropes burning into his skin. "Again!" Natsu's stern voice was an inspiration in and of itself, making Gray do it again even with the markings crawling up and down his body. His beam made more markings crawl onto his skin, making him hurt worse than before, "AAAAHAHHHHH! NO, NOT AGAIN!" The markings seemed to tighten his skin in on itself and hinder his movements.

"AGAIN! I KNOW IT HURTS, BUT YOU'VE GOTTA MAKE IT COUNT! Each wound is a lesson, every loss is a teacher's stinging words, and THE INDIVIDUAL INJURY MEANS YOU LEARNED SOMETHING! NOW AGAIN OR ARE YOU WANTING TO PROVE UR WRONG WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY PROVING LYON AND SILVER RIGHT IN THAT YOU'RE WEAK?!" His eyes filled with rage, he shouted out as a warcry, "ICE DEVIL'S...RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! aaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The beam became huge, engulfing an entire wave through the center and reaching all the way to thirteen yards in total. The markings came again, this time drawing blood with how tight they were within his skin.

"AAAAAHHHHH!" Gray's screams of pain weren't unheard in town, but the only ones who knew who was screaming were Erza, Juvia, Levy, Jet, Droy, Lucy, Gajeel, Juanda, Bora and Millianna who'd decided to stick around for a few months to reacquaint herself with Erza. They ran down to the beach/forest house Natsu, Lisanna and Happy shared. At the beach's shore lay a pained Gray as he dug his fingers into the sand with the pain driving him insane.

"AGAIN!" Natsu's shout didn't wake up Happy, but it did get Gray off the ground, albeit slowly, but off the sand either way. He got up, his eyes filled with untouched rage that hadn't seen the light of day since he lost his family to Deliora. "ICE DEVIL'S...RAGE! aaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The beams he exhaled weren't as big as the last one, but that was because he hadn't eaten any ice.

"Stop!" Gray sighed in relief before Natsu punched him in the back of the head, making Juvia get up to attack him until Juanda and Gajeel stopped her with tight grips on her shoulders and shaking of their heads no. Gray looked to his teacher with anger and said, "Ice-Make: Spear!" The spear of ice went right for Natsu, before he punched it and shattered the brittle piece of ice. He then exhaled a roar of fire before he inhaled it and the ice it captured.

Now feeling cold back in his body, he roared onto the sand where crystals of ice started to grow. When he stopped, there was a large pillar of ice before him that would last for a few days. "Eat, you're nowhere near strong enough to handle me with your Devil Slayer spells as you are." To emphasize his point, Natsu punched a chunk out of the pillar at Gray, who opened his mouth out of unknown instincts and ate it in one bite.

"Eat more, we can't take any chances as Slayers. We never know when we're going to get a taste of our element or _if_ we're going to live long enough to see what we consume. So eat more! That's an order and don't stop until I say so. If you get full, keep eating, you'll hatefully thank me later..." Gray saluted stiffly and painfully as he began to eat the pillar, chunk by agonizing chunk.

By his fiftieth chunk he felt the need to throw up, making Natsu hold up a hand and say, "Stop. Get back to the shore! Again." The Devil Slayer in training nodded painfully and called out, "Ice Devil's...RRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGEEEEEEEEE! aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" His beam was as strong as the strongest one he'd released when Natsu had antagonized him. "Again."

They went at, over and over again. At times it seemed like Gray would collapse from exhaustion, bloodloss, pain and or all of them or like he'd die from the aforementioned reasons. The group of spectators' eyes were glued to what they were seeing for those seemingly infinite moments of screaming and torment.

"Stop and use it against me." Gray didn't question his teacher, turning his entire body stiffly as he took aim. Rearing his head back as much as possible at the moment, he lunged his head forward and released the beam of cold elements at Natsu who only stood there and raised a single hand. The beam hit his palm before he clenched his fist closed, stopping the beam from continuing on with its course. Gray's eyes widened in shock as did everyone else's.

"I'm in an elemental fusion mode, remember? I'm stronger than I am naturally, so you and I can keep going. Again!" He did as told and breathed another beam, being held in Natsu's palm again. "Again!" They continued for hours, going through from the morning into the late night. Each beam carried emotions that left Gray feeling cleansed and healthier than ever. He wouldn't have noticed had Natsu not stopped him as the stars came out, "The markings, do they hurt?"

The group looked up from the fire they'd made, trying to stay close to the two of them while staying out of the way. Gray looked to his arms and chest to see the markings were there but weren't there at the same time. They had left writing in his blood on his arms and chest while the markings had receded back to wherever they came from. "I'm no expert on Devil Slayer Magic, Gray, but I can guess that those marks are important. Read them and you'll probably get stronger..."

Doing as told, the writing in his blood started to glow bright blue as his eyes did the same. He started murmuring quietly, making the group and Happy strain their hearing to try and catch a hint of what he was saying. His body was suddenly engulfed in a beam of bright blue light that carried with it a frost, making the wind blow while the clouds above started to turn snowstormy. Natsu stood in front of and thirteen meters away from the beam with crossed arms as the pillar of light expanded and reached three yards in front of him.

The light show stopped all of a sudden, leaving everyone else covered in freezing sand. Gajeel shook himself, his long hair making him look like a dog in the process while Juanda inhaled it through her new skintight veil.(Kakashi's mask is her new veil, kids) Natsu looked to his temporary student, "I think we can take things up to the next level, don't you think, Black Steel, Gajeel Redfox. Goddess of the Sands, Juanda Din."

Said Slayers stepped out from behind the rock and took their places at Natsu's sides, standing there with serious faces when Gray used a new spell. "Ice Devil's..." Ice started to spin in front of him like a bladed wheel, the markings crawling his skin again but not doing any damage to his body. The markings were now just for show, when they started glowing again, making him grunt in pain.

"WHEEL OF PAIN! aaaaaAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The spinning blade-like wheel started rolling for the three of them, making Gajeel transform his arm into his Iron Dragon's Sword, sparks now flying. "You;ll have to do better than that, Boy!" Natsu closed his eyes, silently searching for the determination he'd been known for when he opened his eyes and was engulfed in freezing flames.

A dark silhouette appeared at his back as his cloak appeared around his body. This silhouette looked to the rock and smiled, her eyes hidden but her perfect teeth. Happy's eyes widened at her, the silhouette lighting herself alight in blue energy as it merged with Natsu's. She smiled warmly at everyone before she disappeared and left Natsu in blue fire. "...If happy ever did exist, I would still be holding you like this..." He looked to his fellow Slayers with pained eyes as he flew at Gray before the entire world faded to black in the eyes of the unseen and unknown.

(Uncue music)Worlds away, a young man with goggles revved up an engine with a toothy smirk gracing his lips...

 **XXXXXXXXXXXX**

That's a fuckin' wrap ladies, gents and other! I needed to shed a bit more light on Natsu and Lisanna's relationship, 'cause most've my flashbacks have been sendin' y'all mixed signals: First one was aggressive, then the next one's lovey(I wanted to make a joke at Levy's name but since I've got a dangerous lunati-*I'm clawed in the face again* GIANT MOTHERFUCKIN' BITCH), then aggressive again. I wanted to clear the air of any confusion. When they were still kids, they hated each other's guts an' were at each other's throats constantly. But as they grew older an' raised Happy as an egg, they started to hate each other less an' less until they were the best of friends. Natsu, bein' the dumbass he is, had no idea what to do when he Lisanna asked him to be her husband. He was also scared to near death of rejection from Lisanna at the last flashback, an' the reaction he got was more than he bargained for.

Gray was just startin' to learn Slayer Magic an' since the other two are much older than he is, they couldn't teach him 'cause their minds had been closed off from most ideas like all adults become. Natsu's the only Slayer he knew who could even give him a _chance_ at learnin' his inherent magic. The trainin' Natsu's instillin' in Gray's harsh but it works 'cause those markings aren't just an order of restraint on the Devil Slayer. They serve as an enhancer for Devil Slayer spells in the manga, but how do they learn their spells in the first place? It never explains who or what taught Silver, so I came up with a way.

The markings are the rest of the Devil Slayer spells restraining the Slayer from becoming too strong, an' any Devil Slayer in his/her right mind wouldn't subject themselves to that agonizin' torture of continuin' like Natsu made him. The markings receded from under his skin, but left indentations in his now tender flesh, lettin' the bleedin' seep into it and create written words that could be read and get him to the next stage of his trainin'. Those markings are a failsafe of the first Devil Slayers. They knew they wouldn't be around forever, an' they needed the later generations of Devil Slayers, if there were any, to learn what they'd created as spells. It makes sense really: The first Devil Slayers were created during the Slayers Purge era, so they were all too aware of the approaching genecide they would suffer an' they weren't gonna let some pitifully fearful idiots kill off their magic when it was just startin'.

I know I'm ramblin', but I just love lore in any shape or form. I like learnin' about the worlds in which characters live in an' can't help but make my own parts of it 'cause somethings aren't always explained. So as always!: R&R, no flamin' my ass, constructive criticism, and SEE YA-GOOD NIGHT!


	15. What makes the clock tick-tock?

Whaz up ladies, gents and other! I'm gonna alter the order of the arcs 'gain, an' it's got a reason 'hind it, 'kay? Natsu mentioned the scent of a God Slayer, an' I wanna give the Slayers as many connections to each other as possible, so I'm gonna 'ave the kiddies meet a few of the Slayers that're available. An' I know that sounded weird, so deal with it. Plus, the first Slayer they meet is gonna be a big part of the timeskip, an' y'all are gonna find it interestin' when it comes. I _know_ y'all want me to hurry up to what I've planned an' the main shit, but I'm just as impatient with myself as y'all.

The original inspiration for this story was a song I heard an' the Tenrou Arc, so please be patient with me. Anyway, now that I'm done with the reasons 'hind my actions, let's get shit started!

 _Thoughts or emphasis_

'Paraphrasin'

"Normal Speech"

" **Non-human speech** "

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

They were still running through the training Gray had asked for, and he wasn't doing too bad-"AAAAHHHH!" Not too bad at all. He'd already learned three new spells belonging to his elemental Devil Slayer Magic and he was barely living with how much the markings were drawing blood. Finally, Natsu called a reining in, seeing as one of his rivals was nearly dead.

"Alright Gajeel, Juanda, he's had enough. There's nothing more we can help him learn if he's dead, he needs his rest. Gray," Said Devil Slayer looked up stiffly from his spot sprawled on the ground to see Natsu's blank stare, "You're training for today's finished. When you're back to one hundred percent come and talk to me, then I'll get these two to come in as well to make this help us help you." Gray took a few breaths and slowly, the markings started to recede from under his skin and back to wherever the fuck they came from.

Although he wanted to sleep, his body was too sore to relent his consciousness in return for sleep. He was too tired to fall asleep, a true Hell that made the real Hell weep for the tormented. That's when the sound of an attention grabbing cough was heard, making the group look to see Makarov and a couple Guild Masters with a select few mages.

Two Guild Masters of which Natsu, Juanda, and Gajeel recognized instantly as they simultaneously knelt down to one knee with a fist over their respective heart, which kind of made everyone feel uneasy. One of the Guild Masters was an elderly woman with long, grey hair tied up into a huge, three layered bun. Her earlobes were stretched, there were wrinkles visible on all exposed skin, she had small eyes and her hands were bony. The attire she wore was simple and elegant in that simplicity. It consisted of a cloak that had a dotted collar holding it up with a dark vest underneath it while her wrists had studded bracelets and she had a necklace with sun emblems hanging loosely around her neck. This elderly woman was Ooba Babasaama, Guild Master of Lamia Scale, and she was known all over Fiore as the 'Spinstress'. Her arms were moving in a circular motion, a thing she did out of instinct and naturally out of relaxation.

The other Guild Master was an elderly, bald and cross-dressing man with a pretty wide frame. He was wearing a spaghetti-strap shirt accessorized by a golden and fuchsia hoop necklace with a vertically-striped pink and purple shorts. To complete this look, he wore red lipstick and dusted his cheeks with blush on both of them. On his back were small wings that looked decorative in nature, but were amazingly able to lift the man off the ground for short distances. This flirtatious-to-only-boys man was the Guild Master of Blue Pegasus and former Fairy Tail mage, Bob.

But it was an individual scent that caught the nostrils of Natsu and Gajeel as they stepped towards the group, sniffing the air all the while until Natsu came face to face with Sherry from Galuna Island with her hair down. "Hey there, Dollhouse, where's the-" He was then kneed in the groin for the nickname, "MY NAME'S NOT 'DOLLHOUSE', SALAMANDER, MY NAME'S SHERRY BLENDY!" Natsu was left on the ground, holding his family jewels when he caught sight of a child hiding behind the rosette that had injured him, which made his slitted eyes widen as he sniffed around again before extending a hand out towards the youngster.

"...Don't worry, Slayer of Soaring Gods, you are among friends and family..." Out from behind Sherry stepped an eight year-old rosette, just like the aforementioned Doll Mage. She pulled the hem of the older pink-haired lady in front of her, a frightened look in her eyes as she blushed at the kind look in Natsu's eyes.

The fire breather smiled warmly, a plan forming in his head as he started to hum a little tune before starting to sing softly, slowly and sweetly. (Cue: One Direction-Live While We're Young)

Hey girl, I'm waiting on ya, I'm waiting on ya

C'mon and let me sneak you out

The Fairy Tail mages who had heard Natsu sing and knew how much he hated his singing voice were perplexed. He was singing _willingly and happily_! Happy started to go along with the tune as he sat on his father's head, a light click in his voice as he added sounds.

And have a celebration, a celebration

The music up the windows down

Happy started to sing now, too, making everyone listen as their voices harmonized.

Yeah, we'll be doing what we do

Just pretending that we're cool and we know it too

Natsu made a silly face as he looked left and right while Happy stood on his forepaws as his dad did this, getting the girl to giggle and make the others smile at the two's inborn gift to bring smiles to the faces of others. Their voices were one and the same, Natsu with his eyes closed as he moved his head with the heart of the music while still keeping the beat. Levy wrote something and made a guitar appear out of nowhere as she handed it to Gajeel, making a 'prove your skill' expression, which made the metallivore do just that as he strummed a few cords experimentally and went with the beat.

Yeah, we'll keep doing what we do

Just pretending that we're cool

So tonight

Let's go crazy, crazy, crazy till we see the sun

I know we only met but let's pretend it's love

Happy made the love gesture, a purr in his voice while Natsu continued.

And never, never, never stop for anyone

Tonight let's get some...and live while we're young

And live while we're young

Tonight let's get some

And live while we're young

The silly faces were gone as the warm, kind smile returned, making the girl blush more at the attractive young man she saw before her. Gajeel started to strum some cords with the tune, making a sound worth hearing for anyone nearby.

Hey, girl, it's now or never

It's now or never

Don't over think, just let it go

And if we get together, yeah get together

Don't let those pictures leave your Lhome, ooooohhh (AN: 'Lhome', they don't 'ave phones, they've got Lacrima, so smaller an' easily transported version of the crystal ball in Makarov's office)

Yeah, we'll be doing what we do

Just pretending that we're cool

So tonight

Let's go crazy, crazy, crazy till we see the sun

I know we only mt but let's pretend it's love

And never, never, never stop for anyone

Tonight let's get some...and live while we're young

And live while we're young

Gajeel piped up, speaking in a low tone than a high one, making it fit instead of the glass-breaking sounds he made on a regular basis.

Tonight let's get some

And live while we're young

And girl, you and I, we're 'bout to make some memories tonight

I wanna live while we're young

We wanna live while we're young

Let's go crazy, crazy, crazy till we see the sun

I know we only met but let's pretend it's love

And never, never, never stop for anyone

Tonight let's get some...And live while we're young

Crazy, crazy, crazy till we sun

I know we only met but let's pretend it's love

And never, never, never stop for anyone

Tonight let's get some...And live while we're young

Wanna live, wanna live, wanna live while we're young

Tonight let's get some...And live while we're young...

(Uncue music) Now finished singing, he looked to the little girl behind Sherry with his winning smile that beat most denials which made her smile back as she stepped out from behind the dress wearing rosette, "What's your name, Little One?" She looked up to Sherry's encouraging smile, making her steel her resolve as she said, "Chelia Blendy, younger cousin of Sherry Blendy and resident..." She turned from inside voice to we're-walking-in-a-room-full-of-lions voice, "...God Slayer...Of Lamia Scale. Nice to finally meet you, Mister Salamander!" Her chipper tone of voice and use of his title made him smile at her warmly again, "I consider it a privilege to meet any Slayers left alive, so the honor's all mine, Chelia."

Natsu then breathed out a plume of fire at the little girl, making everyone gasp in shock, _THAT BASTARD!_ But those thoughts were short-lived, for as soon as they thought that Chelia exhaled a small twister that sucked up the fire and started to dance on the sand in front of them, creating steaming hot glass. The two of them stared at each other now, the steam making it seem mystical in a strange way when Natsu once more blew forth a plume of fire, this time at the solidifying glass, melting it down. He then plunged his fist into the liquid glass, making him hiss in pain while the glass cooled around his hand.

Chelia did the same, hissing and panting in the resistance to scream in pain. They slowly removed their hands from the glass, making it crack and shatter in on itself while their hands were encased in the melted sand. Their hands were frozen in the shape of a dragon's claw with arrows through it for Natsu and a hand wrapped in a thorny rose stem for Chelia. Looking into each other's eyes, they nodded and started channeling mana into their respective right hand which made the glasswear glow. The glowing was so bright that everyone around them had to close their eyes as the light became blinding while the Slayers on the beach just stared calmly into the light. Wind swept around them, making the area seem safer while fire left the ligthshow in waves as a cleansing.

The wind, fire and light stopped abruptly, getting everyone who wasn't a Slayer from their younger days to look on in awe of the two Slayers who'd just...who'd just..."What just happened?" The question came from Gray, who was finally getting off the ground without as much pain as before. "We," Chelia said with a happy grin as her little little dress flailed in the breeze, "had a soully-chitchat!" That made them all facefault, "WHA?!" Was their unified cry of confusion, minus Bob who only chuckled in that way that warmed his guild's heart(s?).

"Now, what are we doing that's got three Guild Masters and several mages together in one place, unless we're gonna start a brawling clusterf-" Gajeel was then punched by Levy for his intentions to swear around an innocent, little girl. "NO SWEARING AROUND CHILDREN, GAJEEL!" Chelia hid behind Natsu at the 'scary lady's aggression, making the fire breathing mage laugh heartily.

"We're here," Makarov said sternly. "To initiate a plan to stop the dark guild, Oracion Seis, from reawakening the Magic Item, Nirvana. This is of the utmost importance, my friends." He opened his once closed eyes with a look so serious ghosts would go pale. "Failure is not an option. Success is imperative!" Each time he said something, the stern gaze of a mage's eyes was seen up close and personal. "Doubt is out of the equation! Fear is nonexistent! AND VICTORY IS ASSURED!"

Bob spoke up now, his smile gone and replaced by a serious face that didn't seem to suit him. "We've decided that we'll have a backup team readied in case the first team can't take the heat. The first team shall consist of Fairy Tail's Natsu, Gray, and Erza. Happy'll follow Natsu to the ends of Earthland and'll go even if we tell him not to;" Said flying cat said a quick and cute, 'Aye!', of affirmation as Bob continued.

"Lamia Scale has decided that Lyon, Sherry, and Jura are to be their representatives in this affair; and I have handpicked my very own mages for this hullabaloo. I've chosen Ichiya, Hibiki, Ren and Eve to help in this matter. The backup team includes Gajeel, Bora, Juanda, and Juvia of Fairy Tail; Toby and Yuka of Lamia Scale; and my guild's very own Teem, Plume, Dezille and Riko."

He took a breath after that before speaking up again with urgency, "Now you must hurry to Nirvana's location! We know where it is and we've already gotten all of the preparations made. Time is of the essence! You'll meet the Trimens at Cait Shelter's guildhall, now go!" The mentioned mages stationed as the first team nodded and went to get their supplies ready for the trip to the ruins in which Nirvana was hidden not far from Worth Woodsea, as Guild Master Roubaul had told them that they had seen the mana of the earth from their guildhall. Natsu then piped up curiously, "We're gonna met up with some cat fanatics who run a guild? Does that mean we're gonna see cats everywhere or...?" That made a certain cat-eared woman smile devilishly as she slid into the background unnoticed.

 **On the train to Worth Woodsea**

Natsu looked ready to vomit as he sat with his head near the open window, the safety of everyone else on his conscience. Sherry sat next to Lyon, hearts practically flying from her eyes while the Ice-Make Mage stared out the window across from Natsu, a blank and slightly bored look in his eyes. Happy was relaxing in his father's backpack with the lip open to be heard and to breath. Erza sat at Natsu's side while Jura was in the middle of the floor, sitting in the Lotus Position with his eyes closed and a calm expression on his face.

Gray and Lucy were, strangely enough, able to lay in the baggage shelves, where they were to stay until the train stopped because they'd decided to draw straws. The silence was awkward and oppressive, but not for long. "So," The group started at the sound of Gray's voice cutting through the silence. "What have you been up to, Lyon? Sherry?" "Blegh-Lame start-Urgh!" Natsu's jab, although slightly killed by his motion sickness, made Gray glare at the fire breather before smirking and freezing him for a minute by punching him in the head.

"That outta shut him up for a minute or two! Anyway, whatcha been up to?" The two mages Gray was addressing started to sweat uncomfortably at the fact that Gray just _froze a fire-eating mage_ with just a single punch while a sweatdrop appeared on their respective head at his nonchalant attitude to the fact he froze one of his guildmates solid. "Well," Lyon started cautiously. "I've been training and taking jobs, though not much has happened since you _killed Deliora_ when it should have been me...!" His glare was reciprocated by Gray as his markings started to crawl under his skin painlessly, making him look intimidating.

The room temperature dropped far enough that they could see their breath, until Natsu broke the ice and returned it back to normal with his naturally high body heat. "Don't-mph!-scare them...Ice-ergh-Stripper..." Even after being frozen, he was helpless on a train unless he was moving as well. Sherry then asked the question, "How can you do that?!"

The markings traveled from looking like a maze or crossword puzzle on his chest and neck to his arm in a show of supremacy. "I'm a Devil Slayer, that's how! My dad, Silver Fullbuster, the bastard he is, taught me the basics of Ice Devil Slayer Magic before he most likely died and Natsu's been doing what he can to teach me about Slayer Type Magic. These markings," He pointed to them as they moved over his arm and hand.

"Are an ingenious insurance. They're a restraining order from Hell, a no-bag-required history book and a spells list. 'Devil Slayers', and I quote, 'are a younger breed of Slayers that were formed as an organization decades before the Slayer Purge'. Seeing that they wouldn't be alive forever, even with their life-lengthening magic, they came up with a backup plan so that, if the organization was destroyed and if any Devil Slayers survived to pass on their teachings, would test their determination to do what needs to be done and to reward them for their perseverance. Every time these markings tightened my skin enough to make me bleed, I was able to read them and learn something new. The men and women who founded Devil Slayers were geniuses of their time and weren't going to let the Magic Council stamp them outta existence just 'cause they're terrified of what we can do."

Natsu stopped groaning, moaning and feeling like vomiting for long enough to speak now. "We're...powerful when...when fully matured and trained. Dragon Slayers learn from their namesake, Devil Slayers are taught father to son and mother to daughter, while God Slayers are taught by those strong enough to be considered a demigod or young god...ooooohhhh..." He was still sicker than a construction worker on a pirate ship as he continued, "Slayers are tasked with keeping the Balance...as...as just that...balanced. If a dragon defeats several others and then eventually wishes to rest its wings-urgh-they ask a Dragon Slayer to lay them to rest in combat, for if another dragon does so and survives the encounter, that victor gains more power than before and is a threat to the Balance as they live for hundreds of years. When a devil wishes to destroy countries or to take over all of what is...Devil...Devil Slayers step up to the task as they are trained in curses and how to defeat them."

These words were sickened with motion, but their meaning was deep. Lucy spoke up now, "Why's a Dragon Slayer tasked with killing dragons stronger than he or she if the 'Balance' will be threatened by the shift in power?" Her answer came in the form of a sick groaning, "Dragon Slayers don't live as long as dragons do...So if I killed a dragon, that amount of magicka would die with me after I reach my time. Now God Slayers! Hehe-urgh!-he...they are the ones who would destroy any goddess or god who'd think to destroy the Realms of Existence in which we reside. Gods cannot kill gods without inadvertently destroying Realms, while a long lived mortal who carries the power of a young god can destroy the would-be destroyer without anymore bloodshed then necessary..."

He then returned to his window to throw up, making Erza rub his back gently. "That's right, just let it all out..." Sherry was silently staring at the Slayer her younger cousin had taken a shine to curiously, "What about Chelia? Could she do as you claim Slayers do, with how few there are?" Natsu only smirked with his head outside the window as he looked up to see the passing wilderness with a smile.

"If she so chooses to..." His tone was proud and without sickness, but it was the aura he gave off that confused the group. It was like he _knew_ that what he was saying was going to happen. "She will rise above the fools and soar, higher than the greatest of flight spells and help another shatter the sky for the rest to follow..." He then threw up again, ruining the moment, but leaving the sense of mystery within the booth. Gray spoke up again, "So yeah. Slayers are basically Enemy Number One aside from the Dark Mage Zeref's followers and we're stuck watching our backs everyday..." A calm surrounded him as he hummed out in a strange tune(Cue: Malukah-Dragonborn Comes), "And every morning we awake, feeling like we've cheated Death oncemore while the less fortunate rejoice at our life extinguished. When our brethren rise and fight the murder, they are the ones always by us distinguished. The Balance remains off kilter. Our hearts beat and our souls are but a unified tilter." He began to whistle quietly now, while Natsu growled out Draconic words to accompany the melody.

" **Vos mii kos, vos mii kos. Y** **th re shar deevdrui vur hianags woari ekess wer siksta** **...** "(This's legitimate Draconic 'ere, people, I used both Dovahzul an' a website that's _literally_ invented a fully functional as well as developin' Draconic language for D &D. S don't give me shit like, 'you just made that up' or 'that isn't Draconic, that's bullshit', 'kay?) The melody and the words, although hard to understand because they were the audible footprint of an ancient and beastial language, left them feeling calm and security. "S **sifisv, jaka, ssifisv. Qe sva martivir svaklar wux re, dout tobor ui karif de svern...** " After a minute or two of this, they slowly stopped, Natsu's motion sickness and Gray slowly losing the tune being their respective reason.

(Uncue music) Lucy was smiling at the two of them angelically, "Who would've thought you two can harmonize like that?" The two in question then smirked as they then glared at each other, "Like Hell that was harmony! He was too high pitched, no surprise seeing as his throat's probably hoarse from all that roaring or growling he calls speech." Natsu retaliated in Draconic, still leaning more towards his natural tongue than English, " **Ulurfa wux, Xarzith Stihethram!** " He then threw up, the train had just shifted tracks on a bit of a sharp turn, making everyone lurch to the right before returning to normal.

Everybody was staring at the Dragon Slayer confusedly as they all looked to-"...Lucy?" Said buxom teenager blushed at the attention as Happy tossed the translation book up to her from his place in the backpack while saying pointlessly, "Aye, sir!" Catching it awkwardly, she opened it and flipped to the back of it where she found the language she needed.

After a minute or two, she said with a hint of pride, "He called Gray an 'Ice Stripper' and told him to fork off." ('Ave any'f ya noticed this yet?) Gray didn't even feel like glaring at his rival, he was resisting the urge to vomit out the window and didn't want Natsu to decide that throwing up lava on him was a good idea. Feeling bored, Gray let the glyphs crawl up his right arm, letting him read them properly now that he didn't feel pain every time they appeared. _These guys really didn't take any chances, did they?! I've got their entire history on demand and training in my skin!_

Natsu was dying inside, worse than ever, but the sight of a certain pink haired sniper changed that. "SHIT!" Just as he squealed that, a beam passed right where his head would be. "WHY WOULD YOU SHOOT HIM WHILE HE'S ON A MOVING TRAIN, MINE?!" "THAT BASTARD GAVE ME THE LOOK, _THE LOOK_! I'LL FUCK 'IM UP!" The train stopped as she shot rapid fire blasts from her large gun. The girl then jumped into their booth, a blank stare on her face until she laid her eyes on Natsu, "YOU!"

"ME! HAHAHAHA-BYE BYE, NOW!" He took off out the window until a large armored man caught him in mid-leap and held him upside down. "Hello!" He said in a flirtatious tone. Natsu looked to the others in the pinkette's party as she took aim at his head, "Help, anyone?!" The boy with brown hair and an ohage shook his head as he took out his sword, "Might as well be merciful and get the bounty off his head before Leone decides to make a plaything outta him or before Mine finds a new playmate..."

"Hehehe-help means no killing when in a hostage situation, pal! So could you not kill me?" Natsu's pleas went unheard as the woman with lion ears and paws grabbed him by the face and pulled him out of the big man's arms. "Hi, nice to see you again, Natsu! You pissed Mine off when you took the job to save that baron, you shouldn'ta done that..." She said this while wagging her large, furred finger in front of his face like a parent does to a child. "Yeah, no shit! Now could you let me down so I can defend myself?!"

One of her claws tapped her chin in false contemplation before she said with a playful smirk, "Um, nupe!" Suddenly, a sword slashed Natsu's arm, drawing a fountain of blood as he flipped out of the woman's grip and landed with a gasp. "That should've killed you, my sword's enchanted to kill anyone it touches with its blade. Who are you?"

The grin on Natsu's face promised danger for the young woman who had struck him. "I am...Natsu 'Salamander' Dragneel, the strongest Dragon Slayer in Fairy Tail! You're not getting anywhere with conventional Weapons Magic with this tough hide." He slammed his right fist over his heart, a fire starting to spark up on his skin and in his jaws. "Akame, stand back and let the professionals deal with this guy. Mine picked the wrong job for training you!" Brown Ohage, as the group had nothing else to call him, glared at the pinkette with the large gun before stepping forward and dawning unconventional military-class armor from light.

"I've fought Dragon Slayers a few times so I understand the instinctual tactics they use, he's mine!" But before he could get too far in front, the pinkette stood in his way and started firing willy-nilly at Natsu. "No, he scorned me, he's gonna reap the consequences..." Finding something clever to say, Natsu said, "Mine." The pinkette looked to him now, "What?!"

"If I win in a spar against of all of you, will you forget the stupidity of our last encounter?" She stared at him sternly for several moments before nodding and taking up a stance, her gun being readied to fire. "LET'S DO THIS SHIT THEN!" " **BRING IT ON MOTHERFUCKERS! FIRE DRAGONS...RRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR! rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!** " His blast of fire engulfed all of them before the group in the train heard him call back, " **I'LL CATCH UP, GO!** " He then sent his flying orb towards the engine of the train, getting it to start up again from after Mine's sniping of the engine's controls.

As they got back to travelling, they couldn't help but feel that they had missed something important about their favorite fire-breather. "When did he make enemies?" Happy answered tiredly with sadness in his eyes and drooping ears, "Long enough ago for Lismama to have helped, but now Lismama's missing and Paatsu can't hold them off on his own without becoming...that..." Gray and Erza had fearful eyes at the mention of what Natsu had once become.

"Become what now?" Lyon's question was met with a somber look from Gray, "When Natsu's wife, Lisanna Strauss, die-" "SHE'S NOT DEAD, GRAY! SHE'S ALIVE, PAATSU SEES HER ALL THE TIME WHEN WE LOOK INTO THE VEIL!" Gray stood up and looked to the backpack in which Happy resided above him, "THEN WHY HASN'T SHE COME BACK, HUH? IF SHE'S ALIVE AND TRULY LOVES YOU AND NATSU, THEN WHY HASN'T SHE COME BACK?!"Happy's eyes began to water as he let his emotions fill his entire being, transforming him into the beast his anger made him into. Seeing what was about to happen, Millianna appeared out of the blue and sent her tubes around Happy's larger form and restrained him.

"Easy, kitty-cat, easy...you're mother's not gone, she's alive, just be patient..." She kept saying soothing words, making the sabertoothed beast begin to shrink back to normal. Millianna turned to Gray, glaring at him as she held Happy like any catlover would hold a cat: properly. (Not like a baby, cat's hate that.) Sitting back down, Gray asked himself, "Where was I? Oh yeah: Natsu's wife 'disappearing' had a traumatic effect on Happy. But it killed Natsu. He snapped. Dragon Slayers break a piece of their soul and place it in the one they choose as their mate or mates, meaning that they can feel what the other feels and other such things. So the feeling of Lisanna's death is killing him from the inside out, pulling him to the Afterlife everyday little by little."

"But," Erza said solemnly. "when they found out, Natsu tried to destroy Magnolia. Gray and I were on jobs at this time so we only have what the recordings show to go off of. Natsu was once carefree and pranksterous; Happy was playful and ever gossiping with the people he talked to; Elfman was timid and a gentleman; and Mira...Well, Mira was the Demon of Fairy Tail. They were a family, a weakly linked one, but a family nonetheless until Lisanna died. She kept them together by acting as Natsu's voice of reason, Happy's guiding hand, the hand of peace for Mirajane and Elfman's inspiration to become more than a timid boy. We've seen the destruction Natsu creates firsthand..."

"When the flames burn themselves charred," Happy sang in his sleep. "children weep for the men and women who are scarred. Boat that fly never come back because they have a new journey with a new crew that consists of the wolf pack. There was a time where I could hide in the hearts of those that loved me, yet all that's left is nothing but a void everlasting. My mother's arms were a place to hide and my father's smile was a pick-me-up, but now there's a shadow that won't stop casting. Bring me back to the land of innocence and joy instead of this world of pain where I'm only a toy."

His song was so heartbroken and longing for the family he once had. "Are we living like livestock for our shepherds or for our lives? Will we ever see the faces of the women we wish to be our wives? These questions spin around in heads belonging to warriors no more. Let's turn back the clock to the days where we never knew what was in store..."

 **Worth Woodsea**

The train had stopped a few miles earlier and they were right now walking the whole way, but they weren't far from where they needed to be. "According to the map Master Makarov gave us, I'd say we're not far from Cait Shelter's guildhall. Speaking of which, Millianna, when we get there: best behavior!" Erza's serious expression made the cat-lady's ears droop as she gave the knightress in shining armor a sad kitty eyes and murmur, "I know."

Out of the sky, landed the man with a shit-eating grin of malice. " **WOOHOOO!** " He stood there, crouching in a crater with his fiery shroud blazing like a solar flare. His shroud's tail was wagging excitedly, wings quivering in anticipation for thrills and his hood was practically roaring in pride of success. Happy fluttered in front of him, looking him in his slitted eyes with his own almond-shaped ones. "Paatsu had fun!" " **Yes, yes I did! Now, where in the Hell's Cait Shelt-** "

"We," Said an aged man from the trees. "Dragon Slayer, are right here and are going to take you to our guidlhall. Come with us and you will meet the rest of your party." Happy flapped his little wings and landed in front of the man with a headdress and lots of facial hair. "Master of Cait Shelter, why do I not smell you?" The innocent enough question was met with a wise look on the hairy face. "Magic scent and normal scent are one and the same, but one part is easier to smell so you rely on it often. Focus around you, let your lungs breath in the atmosphere and find me..." Happy did as told while Natsu reverted back to normal and soon followed after his son.

Closing their eyes, they blocked out everything else and let their noses find the old man. Miles away, a set of six, large, white wings unfolded and spread themselves to full length and took off...

 **XXXXXXXXXXXX**

That's a wrap ladies, gents an' other! I'm sorry this chapter's short but I've had little to nothin' inspirational recently. Also, sorry that it took so long, I've been swamped with studyin' an' other such things. No questions I can think of to answer, so as always: R&R, no flamin' my ass, constructive criticism, an' SEE YA-GOOD NIGHT!


	16. Kindred Spirits Tk 2

Whaz up ladies, gents an' other! I'm still alive, no need to worry. Not much to say 'sides I haven't had any inspiration right now. Not gonna delay this anymore for the moment, let's get shit started!

 _Thoughts or emphasis_

'Paraphrasin'

"Normal speech"

" **Nonhuman speech** "

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Natsu sat there, arms crossed on the floor with his legs crossed and eyes closed in concentration. "Ichiya, why is it that I feel like I've a bone or fifty to pick with you?" He asked in honest curiosity, making the short, red haired man wave his hands in front of himself in a 'nonchalant' manner. "I don't know, my fire-breathing friend, hehehe!" The man with stubble on his chin then sniffed the air like a dog and trotted over to Erza with a gleam in his eyes that the scarlet haired knightress recognized all too well. "Do I detect the smell of that famous, Fairy Parfum I've heard legends of?!"

The slitted eyes of Natsu opened abruptly at that, energy circling around him as he felt he was getting closer to his answer while Erza and the Trimens started to usher the perfume obsessed man out of Natsu's kill zone, when the stout man caught sight of Millianna. "Hello, Miss Kitty...!" The cat eared woman looked to the man and was doing her best not to run away in terror, her feline ears folded back in fear and her entire body stiff in case she had to run or attack. But the reason to run wouldn't be the womanizer, "YOU SONUV **ABITCH! YOU WENT ON HIT ON MY MATE THOSE FEW YEARS AGO! IMMA MURDER YOUR ASS!** "

The Trimens, Erza, Ichiya, Happy, Jura, Sherry, Lyon, Gray, Lucy and Millianna had eyes full of fear as Natsu's body was covered in sparks. "RUN ICHIYA!" "MEN!" And the short, stout man took off for a safe haven with everyone trying to hold back the sparks-covered Dragon Slayer. "NATSU, HE'S NOT WORTH IT!" " **I DON'T GIVE A DAMN, HE'S A DEAD MOTHERFUCKER! FIRE DRAGON'S-** "

" **Sky Dragon's...ROOOOOAAAARRRRRR!** " A twister left the mouth of a young, blue-haired girl with fair skin. Her eyes were slitted like Natsu's, but they held anger directed towards the elder Slayer. Seeing the attack, everyone moved out of the way while Natsu took it head on with a small plume of fire before he swallowed the inferno of wind and scorching flames in one gulp, a contented sigh escaping his lips and a toothy smirk growing on his face at the shocked face of-" **Grandeeney's daughter, I'll take it. Nodioun dout ominak vur drinlekih.** "

She glared at him, seeing through his game, " **Sia ominak ui Suaci vur si mi tenpiswo shafaer gaviric di sia hertan, Cith Felmerta, Erthnetora!** " Natsu burst out in friendly cackles, " **Nomeno ir tepohaic navnik, batobot ui zi bensvelk!** " Everyone who didn't speak Draconic looked to Lucy as one to see her wearing her Gale's Reading Glasses with a pensive look on her face before looking at the book exasperatedly. "Natsu first asked who she was and what her business was, to which she replied that she's Cait Shelter's representative. Our local fire eater then said she's got spirit and that that's very good, but I CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT HER NAME IS OR WHAT SHE CALLED NATSU!"

She was glaring at the book in her hand before the girl came over and turned the book upside down before pointing at a certain group of symbols and syllables. "Windy?" A growl was her answer in warning, before the girl turned a few other pages and pointed at a few more symbols and syllables. "Summer? What does summer have to do with your name or Natsu?!" The girl growled out a huff of exasperation, taking the book and hitting herself in the forehead a few times before she said with a Draconic accent, " **My name's _Wendy_ and the Sell-Out's name means Summer in a language from another country. Huh! Seriously, if you're gonna read or translate a language, at least try to understand _how to!_** "

(Butterfly effect, but don't worry, Wendy won't be a total bitch. She's just antsy 'round strangers an' someone she views as a backstabber) Lucy looked to the ground now, a cloud of shame over her head as the twelve year-old looking girl strutted back to glare at Natsu, holding the book at her hip in a sassy stance. " **You let her translate you** r speech and yet you don't tell her how to read?! Ungh!" Her groan was over exaggerated, but only Natsu, Happy, Wendy and one other knew that.

"Cute girl/girl!" The Trimens said as one. (I ain't gonna bother describin' the womanizers, 'cause I really don't wanna have to describe Ichiya more than's necessary an' plus it's hard to forget who they are.) A growl of warning escaped Wendy's throat at the trio of extreme flirts, blushing all the while. Natsu, noticing that they weren't about to back off, stood in front of the younger Slayer with his arms spread out to the sides, balled into fists like Simon had done at the tower. " **She's off the menu...Make a move at her again while I'm around and I'll burn you so bad no one's gonna recognize your remains, pedophiliacs!** "

And they were pale, even the dark skinned Ren Akatsuki was as white as paper. A chuckle left the fire eater's throat as he gave the three flirts a dangerous smirk and a pulse of killer intent that was laced with magic, giving them images of their deaths in the most horrid ways if they tried anything. Their terrified gapes made Natsu grin like the Cheshire Cat, from the ear to ear. Happy, not liking the look on his father's face, transformed and snarled while stepping in front of the group to act as a line of defense in case Natsu snapped.

" **E** asy, Happy, I'm just screwing with them, no harm done! Besides, you can teach Lugi how to read properly instead of me, we both know how well I read English..." Lucy brought her whip out and made it crack, getting everyone around her to back up in fear as she emitted a dark aura. Natsu smiled, his son now back to normal so he covered the blue cat's ears as he said loud enough for the entire room to hear, "Kinky." The next thing he knew, Lucy got her whip around his neck and pulled, making him fall to the ground while Lucy put a foot near his head and took a courageous pose like she had conquered a mighty beast.

A light shined around her a little bit before Natsu growled in warning and breathing out a plume of fire at Lucy from...Below her core, if anyone were to understand the implications. (*I get clawed in the face again, makin' me crumple to the ground an' whimper*) The whip was then unwrapped from around the pyrovore's neck. It was then that everyone got a good look at the young Dragon Slayer that had oh-so-graciously said Lucy was an imbecilic translator.

She wore a long-sleeved shirt that had jagged blue and yellow stripes and a pair of sky-blue, dress yoga pants. Around her ankles and wrists were feathered-wing-like attachments and her shoes were-"Combat boots, eh? Anticipating a betrayal or fight, **Ghergo Ir** , smart..." On her pant legs were holsters of makeshit sort, carrying small bottles. " **Si tepoha ekess clax doege di sia kurjh usv si geou thric dronglit qe mrith nomeno treskri!** " Natsu nodded to her words while everyone, out of instinct, looked to Lucy who was staring at the book in Wendy's hands longingly.

"You don't get this, until you learn how to use it right, Boobs-for-brains!" Wendy's snarky remark made Natsu and Gray chuckle before they were slammed against a breastplate and slapped respectively. "Ow/ **Jakina!** " The hand of one Sky Dragon Slayer had left a mark on Natsu's thick skin, her sharpened nails playing a part in that regard while Gray was being held against Erza's breastplate with a calm expression and a dark aura. "Gray," The knightress in shining armor said kindly, making the son of Silver tense up and shiver as if he were cold. "let's talk lines we don't cross."

" **Kothar** **Fintir Xarzith, visp ve di svaklar wux vinult!** " Wendy's hisses, growls, chitters, chirps, and whatever other sounds she made were heard as she spoke. Lucy was looked to again, habit and the desire to make her feel awkward becoming the reasons, which made her curl up in a corner with a cloud over her head and waterfalls cascading from her eyes. A dark chuckle left Natsu's throat as he translated, "Wendy wants to know where you're from, Ice Pervert."

"Oh, Brago, why?" A look of surprise came upon her face as she answered, looking away with a disinterested stare and a mild blush, " **Si tepoha nurti zulf wer hertan funtescs shafaer vi kobitish vur tangis hak, nomenes jahen lauth vur karif persvek rionib, vur wux keefum di vekik thaczil. Vur, ini wer iedoll, dout ofilnari tepoha zulf!** " "Huh?"

"First part's that she's never left the guild aside from few and far in between jobs, and since you smell of a different territory or land since the words are the same in Draconic, she wanted to know where you come from. Secondly, put on some damn clothes there are children in this room!" Looking down, or up for Ichiya and Happy, everyone saw Gray had stripped out of his clothes unconsciously.

He then set out to find his clothes while the group waited for-"Honestly child, you'd think I should worry about how you act around strangers but this is a bit excessive!" That made everyone turn to behind Wendy to see-"Pretty kitty/kitty!" Said the Trimens, making Lucy ask, "YOU FLIRT WITH CATS TOO?!" Natsu looked to the three and coughed into his hand, "...zoophiliacs..." His coughed out insult went unnoticed by the three, but it was his son that made Natsu worry.

Happy was stuck there, staring at the glossy-white coated she-cat with pink ears and brown eyes. She had a pink bow tied around near the end of her tail, two whiskers stuck out from her cheeks and she wore an adorable, elegant dress that was orange and red. The blue Exceed stared at the 'pretty kitty', as the Trimens had so tactfully put it, with hearts in his eyes. "Thumpity thump, thump thumpity thump!" She turned to him at that before looking away with a snobbish air about her, making Happy's ears droop and his feelings left hurt.

Looking for someone to give him guidance minus his father, who only knew what to do in aggressive relationships case and point his mother(*I'm clawed again an' sent to the hospital for a few days* Doctor: What happened? Me: I pissed off the wrong bitch, whatdya expect?! Doctor: I'll get you a prescription that should deter you from pissing off anymore of the wrong crowd and should help heal your face quickly. Me: Thanks, that'd do me a world of good right 'bout now...), Happy ran over to Lucy and climbed up her leg to rest at about her stomach. Lucy, now having a flying cat resting at her midsection like a tree, looked down to him with a bit of a glare, "What do you want, cat?!"

"Lucy, I'll give you all my fish if you tell that beauty I'm not neutered!" He whispered just loud enough for her to hear, knowing his father would get overprotective of him on this topic if he found out he was asking for advice. "Keep looking at my breasts and you will be!" She muttered menacingly before smirking and saying a little too loudly with a weird expression on her face, "YOU LIIIIIKKKEEE HER!"

"THAT'S MY SHTICK COPY-CAT AND I DON'T LOOK NEARLY AS CREEPY AS YOU DO WHEN I DO IT!" He then ran away, tears in his eyes as he yelled at her, "YOU'RE MEAN LUCY, JUST MEAN! PAATSU!" Natsu, looking away from his conversation with Wendy, saw his son crying softly and running away from Layla's daughter. A glare directed towards the buxom blonde was Lucy's reward for making his boy cry, Natsu growled lowly, "What did you do to make my son cry?!" He asked testily, getting everyone on edge, minus Millianna who was right now chatting with Roubaul.

Before they could get anything ugly started, a tall, muscular man without a shirt on strode forwards and said deeply, "The Magic Item, Nirvana, is not far. Follow me if you are to destroy it." He then strode off, heavy foot falls being heard as Natsu followed as soon as he saw the Sky Dragon Slayer trail behind him with a skip in her step. " **Creolna ui lotoc,re wux ti? Svabol tepohaic wux persvek mishun vi kikpun nobioun?** " Wendy turned to look at Natsu with shiny in her eyes, making some of those in dark tunnel feel uneasy.

" **Di ekmiv si mi lotoc, si mi sva annyo jaseveir sia hertan! Kii ornla ti si qe lotoc?** " Her eyes were shiny and she had her hands near her face in a fangirly manner, breathing heavily and a fast paced heart. " **Ilthyeo, Suaci, ilthyeo. Shar kii re wux ti shalada ekess jaseve dout hertan? Re wux ti shalada ifnitot persvek wer treskri? Svaust ui wer zhinnig loex sthyr?** " Giggling escaped Wendy until the deep voiced man answered in an English accented Draconic.

"Sia ominak ui Stroud Sten, Hofibavi Vrantvrak Drot!" Natsu stopped dead in his tracks, glaring at the man with black, tied-back-dreadlocks while Wendy giggled so hard it became laughter of joy. " **Jaci itrewica wux bensvelk, Erthnetora!** " Everyone who didn't understand Draconic instinctively looked to Lucy, who was still staring at her book longingly with a cloud of shame still floating over her head. The longing stare Lucy gave her book made Wendy smirk at her playfully as she sashayed through the tunnels, the book strapped to her hip, as she laughed even more.

" **Wux jalla tepoha urcaxa wer turasjir desta, loupon wux ornla ti qe aungweid zahae svabol ui drehim yentad, Yrev Drekipi-Ihk-Shishini!** " Natsu started snickering and blowing air to stop the laughter, while Stroud started to resist the temptation to laugh. Happy, although he couldn't speak the language, at least understood what words and sounds meant, so his tears of laughter were well earned. The laughter of the three animal-like beings ended abruptly as they scented the air, their hair starting to stand on end. Natsu crouched low to the ground, looking like he was ready to dash, sparks crawling up his skin with Happy digging in and pulling out a brick that the Fire Dragon Slayer ate with gusto, his eyes never leaving the light of the exit. Wendy's hair was blown around by a breeze that she began to inhale endlessly, making a chewing motion with the sounds of soft chews being heard.

(Cue: Escape the Fate-One for the Money) "The thing about Dragon Slayers ya gotta take into account, kids," The group looked to Natsu as he growled out his words with this entire body starting to spark more aggressively. " **Is that we ain't ones to let someone step into and onto our thaczil, land, without retribution. Also, we can eat just about damn near anything! For instance, here you go, Suaci...** " He exhaled a plume of magicka with the wind he'd swallowed earlier, which Wendy inhaled enthusiastically. " **Lofftarientik!** " White scales sprouted from Wendy's back in the form of folded wings, with scales doing the same up her arms and legs. The pants she wore were pierced by the scales as they pointed upwards, the scales on her arms moving towards her shoulders doing the same for anything else. Her hair started to point and curve upwards, her eyes darkened and became dilated, her canines lengthened as did her nails into claws. And to top it all off, feather-like scales sprouted under her eyes, going down her cheeks in tear streaks, and travelling behind her head and down her neck.

Natsu's eyes widened at the younger Slayer's transformation, _That's what a Sky Dragon Slayer looks like in Dragon Force? Well, shit, I wouldn't mind if Lisanna had been raised by Grandeeney at all!_ Red scales started to form out of Natsu's skin, making him roar in pain as his bones started to change density while Wendy started to scream in agony of the feeling happening for the first time. Everyone in the cave looked to them in shock as they rose their voices loud enough for the walls to shake. Horns sprouted from Natsu's brow and curved forward, hissing red hot with heat, before Natsu headbutt the floor and bent them more towards his head so he didn't run into the same problem he did the first time. Scales were under his eyes, up his arms and down his legs, as well as covering his back and ribs. All together, they were two very dangerous looking beasts.

Wendy placed her hands on the ground and raised her lower back, also ready to run at any moment while also unintentionally mooning those behind her. "Honestly-" Carla, the white furred feline, wasn't allowed to finish because the two Slayers took off in a mad dash like the wind. Flames rocketed Natsu forward from his back like a pair of wings bent back from a powerful flap and Wendy caught on quick. Leaping into the air real quick with a twist and a twirly spin, she generated a twister around her lower body and used that to propel her forward.

Outside the cave and farther along than the group, a man with spiky, upward-styled maroon hair turned all of a sudden towards the sound he thought he'd never hear. "What is it, Cobra?" Asked a man with a long nose, dark sunglasses, and spiky mohawk-styled blonde and black hair. "I thought...No, it couldn't be-" " **FIRE DRAGON'S...ROAAARRRRR!** " From above the six members of Oracion Seis came an inferno, soon joined b-" **SKY DRAGON'S...ROOOOOOOAAAAAAARRRR!** "(Yeah, interrupt me too! That's real matur-*I'm clawed in the face by the malicious bitch again, sending me to another hospital* Nurse: I was told you pissed off the wrong bitch by the doctor you spoke to the last time, is this true? Me: YEAH! IT FUCKIN' HURTS! Nurse: *Nodding while looking at her board of patients* Hmm, I see. Yes, I'll give you a new prescription that should help you prevent this from happening. Me: WHAT I NEED'S A RESTRAININ' ORDER, LADY!)

The two attacks merged, becoming bigger than either was on its own, making the dark guild Mages' eyes widen before moving out of the way with haste. But just as the large, purple, winged snake escaped the flames Natsu exited his body and merged with the infernal cyclone and flew right through the snake, which made the maroon haired man call out, "CUBELLIOS!" That's when they saw that the large serpent was unharmed as she slithered over to her eternal companion, making him sigh in relief that his oldest and only friend was safe.

" **MALAI! TIR WUX TI OCUIR SVABOL UI HARKT GHOROS DOUT SAURIVIC! BATOBOT MOLMONSORE FANOL UI LORITA PERSVEK VI ADON BATOBOT UI TI JACIONIV KURJH!** " Natsu roared out in a rage, the maroon haired man shaking his head in pain at the words being so loud and almost familiar but his human mind couldn't comprehend them, causing him pain. "ARE ALL DRAGON SLAYERS THIS VIOLENT?!" Lucy's shout of confusion was met with Carla saying calmly, "Of course not. Wendy is actually quite timid around strangers and hates fighting unless necessary, and when it's necessary...She doesn't lengthen the battle out more than she has to unless she has a good reason. Oracion Seis is invading in her territory, just as Salamander did, but she's allowing him to be here. But those dark mages...They aren't allies, they aren't innocents, they're enemies!"

Natsu landed and twisted around quickly, inhaling deeply with a trickle of flame trailing his lips before he released another Fire Dragon's Roar. Wendy landed behind him, inhaling as well before exhaling a twister, sending them both forward quickly into the inferno as a cover with Natsu grabbing Wendy and holding her close to his chest so she didn't get burnt. The inferno that Natsu had exhaled was redirected by an inanimate man on a floating carpet, but Wendy and Natsu had hoped for something similar to that, revealing them as they went for the man covered in lines with a staff that had a skull at the head of it.

Oracion Seis' mages had wide eyes, there had been no pre-warning of their opponents' thoughts, meaning they were acting on pure instinct and primordial emotions as thoughts. The two Dragon Slayers neared the man with neat, silver hair before they were rammed by the man with a long nose and black-and-blonde hair. But as the man rammed them with his elbow, Natsu called out aggressively, " **WHO ARE YOU, MABLIK HOFIBAI?!** " The maroon haired man groaned again, shaking his head in pain which Wendy noticed and growled something out as she caught his scent in the wind she consumed as they flew from the long nosed man's ramming.

"Who wants to know?" Natsu responded with something all too him, " **MY COCK!** " The platinum, short haired woman in the group was blushing at that while Cubellios, the winged, purple snake, had a look of discomfort with the shift in conversation. Natsu, Wendy and their assailant ended up in a tree, the Sky Dragon Slayer blushing at the shift of topic and being pressed up against the man who'd just brought sexual commentary into the battlefield.

The rest of the group came out of the cave at the comment Natsu made, making Lucy, Carla, Sherry and Erza all blush at Natsu's vulgar banter. "What?!" Racer, the man pinning Natsu and Wendy to the tree, said with a seriously confused look on his face. " **I CUM LAVA!** " "If I tell you who we are, will you _PLEASE_ shut up?!" Natsu smirked and looked to Wendy, who looked back to him with the innocent curiosity of the child she was. " **Si tira ti siofme nomeno shio wer idol erekess...** Uhm, sure!"

"Thank you!" Was the unanimous sigh of relief from everyone nearby, except for a young woman garbed in an angelically white cloak with a veil-like cowl over her head. The mystery woman only smirked lovingly at the man she'd decided to watch over, knowing him like the back of her hand while he still remained a mystery full of surprises that not even his shadow would imagine he'd come up with. "The man with the flying snake's Cobra," Said the long nosed man, directing the attention of the group to Cobra who nodded with a 'hn' and an air of superiority. Cobra then lurched forward, covering his mouth like he'd throw up before he started laughing good naturedly, "That's hilarious...Never heard that one before!"

Natsu's mouth hung open, seeing the subtle glances Cobra sent his way and the way he was reacting before he started laughing as well. "I know, right? It slays!" " **Svabol mi si llewarinas? Si tuor ekess vucot wer diwhafup!** " Wendy pouted as she said this, making Natsu laugh a little more before he started to chuckle uncomfortably. " **Uh...Si geou visp wux svadrov wux re grapwola, Ghergo Ir.** "

"The man with the living staff is Brain; the bitch on the carpet's Midnight. I'm the man who's gonna kill you horribly, my name's Racer. And the whore in white's Angel." Racer directed their attention towards, " **Itova Ir?** " The moment Natsu's eyes befell the young woman of small stature, he felt his heart stop. Gray, Erza and Happy looked to the young woman and almost made the same mistake before Natsu growled deeply before releasing a plume of fire towards her. Racer dodged the attack, letting it head straight for Angel, Natsu launching himself through it and gathering it onto his fist, ready to destroy the one who'd make him doubt his mate's loyalties.

Gray, being impulsive as ever and wanting to prove he was just as powerful a Slayer as Natsu, attacked. "Ice Devil's...RRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGEEEEEEEEE! aaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The beam of ice, snow and freezing air he exhaled was aimed for Racer, seeing as he was clearly the fastest and that the man was about to go for Natsu. But the blonde and black haired man's movements were too fast, making Gray's attack freeze the ground into ice, making him smirk proudly. "LYON, NOW!" Catching on quick, the other student of Ur charged at the slipping-and-sliding man and slammed his hand against the man's stomach, causing a feline-shaped ice sculpture to pass through him.

Racer's eyes widened before he smirked and summoned motorcycles out of nowhere, sending them at the group all the while seemingly unaffected by the panther of ice going straight through him. "Ha!" While the motorcycles went after Gray and Lyon, the rest of the group slipped away mostly unnoticed. Erza charged, her Flight Armor dawned, at Cobra seeing as he was the closest to her and since he seemed the cockiest which would make him easy to beat. Big mistake...

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Y'all hate me, I know. I'm sorry that this chapter sucked, I'm bad at fight scenes an' every time I tried makin' this chapter longer it sucked worse each time. So I tried one, last time without attemptin' a major fight scene an' stuck with it. I's kinda thinkin' of usin' Azreal to speed the fights up 'cause my fight scenes are shit most'a the time, but I ain't too sure 'bout that idea yet. Anyway, I've been readin' most of my stories, an' I found that they consist of mostly character development an' few to no fights that are actual, in depth fight scenes.

If y'all got any tips on how to make better fight scenes, please PM 'em to me or leave 'em in your reviews. I'm also plannin' on doin' somethin' kinda stupid later, but hopefully it goes over better than I think it will. Here's a question y'all're gonna regardless: Why is Wendy such a bitch? The answer's simple, kids: She's in a situation with strangers, meanin' she's gotta be on guard in case any of 'em are from the Magic Council. Wendy's also pissed that Slayers were 'sold out' by Natsu, so her aggression's not unbelievable. Plus, around strangers she's gotta keep up a charade that she's tougher than she looks an' actually is. Lastly, her anger at Lucy's based on the fact that a translator doesn't even know how to read her 'inherent' language properly an' that Natsu let Lucy act as translator while not teaching her anythin'.

Not a lotta questions I can think of, so as always: R&R, no flamin' my ass, constructive criticism an' SEE YA-G'NIGHT!


	17. Let them feel fire!

Whaz up ladies, gents an' other! I know it's been a while, an' I feel bad that my inspiration's lackin' for the arcs 'fore Edolas, but I'm tryin' my hardest still. This story was originally conceived by myself when I heard the song 'Smooth Criminal' by Micheal Jackson on Glee. At first I thought this idea would suck, but the more I thought 'bout it, the more I wanted to give Fairy Tail's story a shot. An' here we are, in the Oracion Seis arc 'fore its canon time an' I haven't been legitimately bitched at! For me, gettin' to this stage in a story's kinda big for me since most stories I write either suck massively 'cause of the lack of originality/plot or they just suck. That's why I've got only three continuous stories out at the moment, I'm plannin' to make a forth one but it's still in the rough draft phase.

I'm ramblin' an' I'll shut up now so y'all can enjoy what I made or what I fucked up at. I don't own Fairy Tail; although that'd be awesome, I'm not cut out for the job.

'Paraphrasin'

 _Thoughts or emphasis_

"Normal speech"

" **Nonhuman speech** "

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

He was feeling sick. No other way to put, unless 'riding a motorcycle from Hell' works better for some people. Natsu was holding onto the motorcycle that Racer had summoned, for dear life at the moment, the feeling of the engine revving underneath him as the land beneath and the environment beside him passed by so fast while he was so close making him feel ill. "Natsu..."

 _Cloaked Man! Who are you?!_ He thought aggressively, his mind and body losing connection as he entered into his mindscape to interrogate his intruder. He didn't have to worry about doing anything right now, the motorcycle was just going every which way and trying to knock him off to be run over.

 **Natsu's mindscape**

Fire erupted from the sky and ground; forests were warm and flourishing; the sky was clear yet shrouded in darkness. This was his mindscape. This was him. This was Natsu Dragneel... Stepping out of thin air, he stood next to the man in a black cloak. _Who are you, Stranger? And how the fuck did you get in my head?!_ A laugh greeted him, making him scowl at the intruder before he received an answer. "I'm a friend, looking to help out a little boy I know closely. How I know you and what I have to do with your life is irrelevant, what _is_ relevant is how you're gonna beat the Soul Reader's ears and get to the Brain of that group."

 _What are you talking about? 'Soul Reader', 'little boy', ARE YOU ON DRUGS?!_ More laughter greeted him, making him growl deeply before lunging at the man with a Fire Dragon's Iron Fist readied to crack the intruder's skull when his fist was caught in the stranger's palm without so much as a grunt, crack, scream or burn. Natsu's eyes widened, making the stranger smile a sharp-toothed grin as he tilted his head in a familiar fashion that he couldn't place.

"You're still impulsive aren't you, Natsu? You'll never find her if you keep acting like this..." Anger boiled in Natsu even more than usual as he threw punches, kicks and headbutts right and left at the intruder into his mind. All he got in return was a few dodges and deflects from the cloaked figure. "Remember the day she gave you a spell without even trying?" The stranger asked with that damnable, sharp-toothed grin.

"Of course I do, bastard!" Natsu said heatedly before it sank in and his eyes widened in realization. "You want me to..."

 **Flashback: Three years ago**

Happy was sleeping in his little cat tree, snoring lightly while muttering about how delicious fish were. Lisanna and Natsu were outside at the moment, Natsu underground with Lisanna sitting in a meditative position as her mate dug under the soil. _He's not the sharpest tool in the shed, but he's clever enough to try just about anything. Even..._ Just as she was thinking that, an arm burst through the ground in the middle of her crossed legs, making her untangle them before wrapping her legs around his arm. The moment he felt her wrap around his arm, he tried to pull said appendage back into the ground, only to find he was stuck, so he went with the next best thing.

Sparks started to appear on his skin, getting his mate to let go from the short spurts of pain they created, only for Natsu to leap out of the ground at her. Time seemed to slow down, letting Lisanna enter a Take Over, this one being very familiar to them both and the platinum haired lady's favorite. "Animal Soul: Cat." She said, just loud enough for Natsu to register it before he saw her hop onto one of the larger rocks and pounce off of it. At first, it seemed like she just wanted to tackle him, but she then flipped around a little and held her knees out like she was going to-"No no no!" Her knees met Natsu's skull, them both going down now in the direction Lisanna's launch had sent them, a resounding crack was the only sign that Lisanna had dislodged her kneecaps in the process of beating her mate.

The moment they touched the ground, Lisanna rolling off her mate in the process as her legs were none functional at the moment, Natsu ran over to her to find her with tears in her eyes from the pain as she whimpered. Taking her into his arms carefully, a difficult feat for the fire breather that he accomplished although slowly, he held her close as he placed the side of his arm into her mouth and started breathing fire onto her knees. She bit down hard, piercing his thick hide as if just a normal person's skin, a testament to her jaw strength and sharpened teeth as a catgirl, while Natsu's flames burnt away the skin and flesh as he readjusted her kneecaps to their original position.

This wasn't the first time she'd been injured severely in a spar, and it wouldn't be the last. The idea to burn away the flesh to repair bone wounds had been risky the first time they'd tried it, seeing as if they failed Lisanna would be forever lame or she'd have to wait years before she could move of her own volition. (Basically, the first time they tried it, Lisanna'd broken both arms an' both legs. If Natsu fucked up, she'd be lame forever, meanin' she'd never be able to move on her own let alone use magic. If they didn't, she'd be stuck in a wheelchair for years as she'd have to be rehabilitated since her wounds were inflicted by the strength of a Dragon Slayer.) Her pain grew hundred times worse, making her dig her teeth in deeper, making her husband(Technically) wince in pain but never falter in his healing.

It was a solid twenty-three minutes of agony for the Animal Take Over mage. Twenty-three minutes of Natsu slowly returning her kneecaps to their original position without causing serious damage to her tendons. Twenty-three minutes of Hell-on-Earthland agony. After he finished, he released a haze of mana onto the wound he'd worsened, causing the flesh and bone to return to normal although slowly since he'd screwed around inside. Once it finished, Lisanna removed her teeth from his arm, whimpering still from the feeling of her exposed flesh healing so slowly until it was finished. She laid there, whimpering as the pain still lingered until it subsided to just feeling like she'd hit her knee hard enough to laugh out her pain.

Natsu stroked her cheek tenderly, knowing how much his mate hurt during that, before she rose slowly to smile and kiss him on the forehead like he was but a child. "I'm fine now, Natsu." She said softly. Her mate hated seeing her in pain, especially when he was causing said pain, but he did it because he'd hate even more seeing her be stuck in a cast or other such things as he knew how much she loved living her life to the fullest she could. So, he took the lesser of two evils and healed her as best he could. Of course the pain had done damage, but it wasn't physical, anymore, so she'd be unable to walk for a few minutes. "Surprising you're not going on about how I beat you by hurting myself, honey?" He chuckled at that, "I'm holding that off for when you're able to move again so I can kick your ass. But I think I could make that attack work as a spell down the road, just gotta think of a name for it..."

Looking to the sand in thought, she said contemplatively, "How about..."

 **Present day, waking world**

" **Fire Dragon's Scorching Leap!** " The duo-inside-Natu's-mindscape said as one, Natsu's voice leaving his body as he leapt off the motorcycle at the maroon haired man as Erza went to strike him down with her blades. Cobra released a wave of killer intent, freezing Erza in place, as Cubellios went to sink her fangs into the scarlet haired knightess. Just as the serpent got close, however, Natsu's flaming legs came into contact with her neck and lower head. But the victory was short-lived, as the snake's companion came from the side and literally bit into Natsu's shoulder, making him scream in pain as he felt something leave the man's sharp incisors.

" **Imgodid Darastrix Sventlin...!** " He then fell to the ground, motionless and in pain, as everyone else rushed at an individual mage of Oracion Seis. Said dark mages exchanged glances and took off into different directions, when their pursuers were launched after their targets by slabs of earth acting as catapults. Natsu, Wendy and Erza were sent flying into the forest when Happy and Carla caught them midflight, Erza holding onto Natsu so he wouldn't fall to his death. "Natsu/Paatsu," Happy and Erza said frantically as they fluttered down to a landing, needing to check Natsu being their top priority.

"Wake up!" No response was all they got. Wendy came over and placed her hand to his neck then to his wrist, pulling out a stop watch she'd packed in case of situations like this and to occupy her short attention span as a preteen. "He's alive. Shaky, but alive. The guy who bit him smells of venom, snakes and mana. Meaning he's either a snake-human hybrid made by Brain," She said offhandedly as a possibility, although not likely, before continuing. "Or he's a Venom Dragon Slayer. Second Generation; Dragon Lacrima infusion; not good! The only thing I can think of doing that's practical's to wait until he either gets through this or dies..." Her calm attitude was kind of unnerving for a girl her age, making Carla look to the girl in confusion before she saw the concern in her eyes. _She's scared. First time outside the guild in months, not including the garden, and she's seeing one of her own kind close to death._

"That's all there is?!" Were Erza's hostile words, making Wendy take a frightened step back before stopping midstep and planting her foot firmly on the ground. "No...There's something else, but it's risky..." She said this cautiously, worry in her eyes growing to fear. "Then do it!" "If I do and fail, then we'll both die! He's able to consume more than one element without killing himself, I'm not. If I mess up, my chances are basically zero and his drop. Either way we both lose..."

"Wendy," Carla's voice made said blunette turn to her feline companion to see her encouraging gaze, "Try! Don't doubt; believe! He's no doubt able to do that on the account of taking a huge risk on his gamble, now's your chance to show the guild you don't need to be kept inside all the time or hidden away. You're strong, don't doubt yourself." A surprised expression answered the white Exceed's words, until the sound of Natsu shivering and grunting in pain reminded them there's a sick Slayer on the ground. "Do it, please!" Taking a look to Happy, a single child with only one parent at the moment, she nodded and knelt down beside him. Her eyes closed, she opened them as they narrowed into thin slits of focus. "Keep quiet and don't let anything interrupt, please. Losing focus could be fatal for both him, and possibly me."

Her peace said, she took a breath of fresh air and then sank her teeth onto his Fairy Tail stamp that Cobra had bit into. A glow emitted from Natsu's form. _I know my magic's mostly medical, but this isn't a sickness or simple wound. The venom's still in here and it's magic, so any of my spells won't work plus his body would reject any attempts to use magic on him while he's in this state. I sure hope this works!_ The glow was dim, as if a representation of his vital signs, growing brighter every now and then before dimming again.

Their scales hadn't receded, their bones hadn't returned to their natural density, and they weren't about to question a good thing. In this state they were stronger, more powerful, and chocked full of magicka so Natsu's naturally hardy immune system was a huge help in this as well as Wendy's medical understanding. But this took time, time they couldn't waste and they were in unknown territory with enemies nearby. They couldn't miss a shot/strike or they'd be as good as dead! The very air seemed to circle around Natsu's face as it zoomed into his past...

 **Flashback: Several years ago B.F.T**

(Before Fairy Tail)

Natsu and Igneel had both seen better days. The hunters had become more desperate, using hostages of beauty in any regard to lure out the namesakes of slayers or lustful slayers themselves. This group wasn't any different, but there was something strange about them, something alluring about the leader's scent to the pink-headed pyrovore.

 _What is it about that scent? It's so...interesting..._ Out of the background came a hunter with a trail of five prisoners, all of whom were bound and gagged while still allowing movement. " **Natsu, nomenes citari...** " " **Vucoti, Igneel. Astahii keefum di darastrixi. Asta harroci nishka xikin!** " " **Natsu!** " But it was too late, Natsu had already dropped from the large trees down to the ground near the now sitting teen with slitted, red eyes. The young man's eyes widened at the sight and smell of the pink-haired stranger, only to calm down when his gag was removed by the pyrovore. Next thing he knew, the log he was tied to went up in flames, flames that were soon after consumed by the son of Igneel.

The hunters then noticed their quarries were now free, each taking a position around their camp, and inhaling deeply while uttering out their individual dragon's element. " **Ternesj...** " " **Qumadosfan/Qumadosfan...** " " **Caesin...** " " **Usk...** " " **Ixen...** " As one they shouted, " **DARASTRI'S VERBEN!** " From their gaping mouths came elemental energies, each packing its own individual power that was a fore to be reckoned with. As soon as the attacks ended, all that was left of the hunters was a seriously nasty scar on the ground and shattered bones. " **RISEIL COI!** " Natsu shouted to the teenagers, each taking heed with only mild hesitance before taking off in the direction of their respective dragon's territory.

Behind Natsu landed the leader of the hunters, his sword readied to end the pink-haired brat that had nearly cost him his mission. Just before he could kill the boy, however, Natsu's leg swung underneath him, knocking him to his back. Natsu then sat on the man's chest, his knees nailing the man in his shoulders and dislocating them with a good deal of pressure, making the man cry out in pain. " **What's your name, scum?!** "

Seeing that his death was nigh, he took the easy path, "Strauss, Carn Strauss." The now named Carn then closed his eyes as Natsu's fiery breath engulfed him, burning him to a crispy corpse that the fire breather soon buried. _I'll remember you, Carn Strauss._ Carn's eyes had been a royal blue, his hair reaching his shoulders as a silvery white, a scar marking his nose, lip and both eyes. He'd been able to see fine, but he had fought many battles in the secret Slayer War, meaning he was only in his thirties, at most forties. His physique had been muscular, military muscularity; not body-builder.

The clothes he'd worn had been a completely black vest, greaves, boots, scalemail gauntlets and turtleneck undershirt. He'd done what he'd thought was right, not questioning, and he'd paid the price the hard way. That day, Natsu saw what the Magic Council was capable of, and his rage burned hotter than it had in his few years in this world. To the sky he shouted his anguish, fire leaving his gaping mouth as the sky began to cloud and shower him in its condolences. The only person to have seen his show of rage had been the melted eyes of Carn and Igneel, the other slayers having left the territory's edge minutes ago.

The rain fell down upon him, washing away the ashes on his hands and legs as well as the scarring on the ground. This rain had never left him, nor would it ever be asked to...

 **Present day**

(Cue: Kesha-Take It Off/TFK-Down) _That's it...Rain..._ The clouds were gathered, as if ready to thunder yet not wanting to. Natsu's unconscious body made a change to that, " **Ixen Darstri's VERBEN! rrrrrrrrrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!** " Out of his gaping maw came his soul, blue and white fire kindling at its(His?) core as he reached to the sky and let loose a roar that met with his body's, causing the clouds themselves to quake. (No, Natsu's not in control of the weather. But the effect of high temperatures in the atmosphere suddenly leavin' cause storms to happen in this context. His soul's a superheated, livin' plasma source, so when it's in the sky it heats everythin' up before-) With his roaring done, he then returned to his body quickly, causing the clouds to accumulate more of themselves as well as start beating down water onto those below.

Wendy hadn't noticed what was going on, so caught up in her job to heal her patient was she that not even the roaring in her ear roused her attention. But everyone else felt and heard it, the power and respect it demanded making them work in haste as the rain pelted down on them harder. Erza, Battle Mode Happy and Carla were all dealing with the seemingly conscious motorcycles Racer had summoned.

Carla flew, her wings being relatively small allowing her to make sharp turns the bikes couldn't, making them crash into either each other or the environment. Happy and Erza were back-to-back, the large feline then grabbing Erza's scruff and tossing her onto his back, channeling some of his anger-infused mana to his passenger. Eyes now glowing, Erza called out, "Requip!" In place of her Flight Armor was a new, angelic, somewhat feline armor with a staff in her hands and a sword in a sheathe on her back. The sword's blade looked like it was two angel wings meeting at the end feathers of the tips, serrated feathers making up the sharp inside and outside. Each wing was long, about as long as Erza's arm each, and left enough room to fit someone's head in the middle. Its hilt was the same, only the wings were acting as a hollow half-ball around a handle, protecting the hand while allowing maneuverability.

Her feline/angelic armor was similar to Happy and Carla's fur, soft and warm while remaining tough and durable. Her arms and legs had guards on them, like shinguards for sports. Her shoulders and midsection were left unguarded, but they didn't need to be, because there were draperies of sorts that were made of thick leather/chain/scalemail like nothing she'd ever felt or seen before, covering the muscled areas of her shoulders and reaching down to her sides like a long scarf. If a blade came into contact with the amalgamated armor, it wouldn't make much more than a reasonable dent. These drapes were loose, but they weren't exactly curtains, there was a firmness to them that revealed cords of an unfamiliar metal inside them to keep them free-moving yet firm.

Her helmet was more of a headdress than anything else, like the Greek olive branch around the head while having some of the leaves reaching down to about her chin and climbing up from there to the back of the head. Hair wasn't a problem, it was kept in back in a large braid which was really several smaller braids spun around each other that she let loose from the rings to hang at the ends, causing small lights to appear in them. Her hands were covered with fingerless gloves that left her palms untouched and had metal nubs at the knuckles. Her feet were bare except for a thin piece of foldable, wooden plates that fit perfectly to the soles of her feet. To protect her modesty was a bra of fine scalemail, craftmanship that resembled Heart Kreuz style but not exactly theirs, and a pair of scalemail panties that were warm in some strange and slightly awkward way.

She twirled the staff in her arms, stopping to remain there with Happy's fur glowing as they started to lift in the air without him flapping his wings even once. The glowing ended abruptly, the two of them dropping in the process, making them seem epic as a dust cloud erupted around them before being swept away with a beat of Happy's wings and a twirl of Erza's pole-staff. The dust now dispelled, it revealed Happy in gladiatorial armor for animals, making him look like a warbeast. A helmet covered his head while letting his ears poke out and a large cuirass covered his torso with holes in it to let his large and angelic wings spread out, and he had vambraces and greaves on his arms and legs to protect his limbs. Thin pieces of armor covered his tail, alerting anyone to its prehensibly as he wrapped the arrowhead-tipped armor ended of his tail around the hilt of Erza's sword, bring it out and tossing it into the air.

Erza, looking up to it, moved her pole-staff so that its end touched the pommel of the hilt, making the two weapons meld together. The wings of the hilt wrapped around the end of the pole-staff, becoming a spiraling cone of metal, feather-like plates that would shred through most armor. The wings of the blade grew rings in between them, small orbs of light appearing in their centers. With a roar from Happy, Erza called out, "Exceeding Warbeast Armor!" With that, they charged the many motor cycles and Racer as he appeared in front of them, their eyes glowing lightly with power.

Their battlecries out of the way, Erza and Happy charged at the black-and-blonde haired speedster. Back with Wendy and the finished roaring Natsu, the glowing of Natsu's bloodways hadn't finished nor had it intensified, if anything it had decreased. But the Sky Dragon Slayer was getting tired and there was still a good deal of venom in Natsu, when suddenly the rain started pelting down on them, hitting hard enough to force the blood and venom in Natsu's veins and arteries to move faster around his system and towards her.

The rain's magical origin gave it special qualities, such as healing as Natsu had passed through his doctor in the process of leaving his body. The venom closer to her, Wendy sucked it into her mouth until all she got was blood and then drooled the venom out of her mouth into a bottle from her belt. Natsu rose with a gasp, his eyes wide as the scales receded and his bones returned to normal, making him hiss in pain while the same happened to Wendy who gasped and groaned in pain.

Looking to the blunette, Natsu nodded with a grateful grin. At the sight of rain finally registering for Wendy. With a snap of her fingers, "I have an idea!" That made Natsu's ears twitch in interest.

"I'm all ears." Leaning up to whisper into his ears, a smirk grew on the pyrovore's face as Wendy let an excited smile come across her own. "Remind me what your IQ is?"

All he got was a playful smile and a blush of embarrassment at the praise, "One hundred twenty-six..." She whispered out. Natsu's ears twitched at that, his surprise obvious before the sound of motors roaring brought them back to reality. Looking to each other, they nodded and passed right by each other in a dash before Natsu tunneled beneath the earth while Wendy climbed into the treetops.

A roar from Happy revealed he'd been wounded across the back, right at the base of the neck, an open spot that neither of them could really work on. "Happy, are you okay?!" Was Erza's concerned call to her temporary steed, her answer coming as a pained growl as the warbeast she rode upon glared into the forest.

Racer appeared in front of them, getting Erza to slash at him with her partisan, barely missing the speedster. _Damn it, how are they so fast like this?! I can't wrap my head around it! They're slow on their own and they're faster together like this, but HOW?! IT MAKES NO DAMN SENSE! HOW ARE THEY DOING THIS?!...FUCK IT! I DON'T NEED TO KNOW HOW THEY'RE DOING IT TO BEAT THEM! JUST SEPARATE THAT SCARLET BITCH FROM HER BEAST AND I'M GOOD!_

The speedster went for his chance as Erza stood on Happy's back as he lunged for their opponent's heart, dashing for the knightress's legs to separate the two warriors. But they'd prepared for any dirty tricks, as the Oracion Seis mage found out. Spinning her spear around her wrist, smacking Racer in the face a couple times, Erza smashed the but end of the pole down on his skull which forced his face-and more painfully his nose-down on Happy's cuirass.

"Happy," The blue tiger-like feline looked to her with those glowing, green eyes. "Take it away!" Jumping off his back, Erza watched as Happy's and her own armor disintegrated as well as Happy throwing the speedster into the sky where he could win. One in the sky, Racer was at the mercy of Happy's fury. The tiger rammed, clawed, bit and bashed the mage until he reached the ground, where he dashed for Erza.

Out of the trees fell Wendy on the speedster's head, allowing Natsu the chance to leap out of the very ground and grab the still running man's lower body and pull him down long enough for his soul to enter the Oracion Seis mage. Racer froze, his entire body still and his eyes dilating and shrinking repetitively before he groaned, revealing Natsu's voice, "Oh...no...this is bullshit! His magic doesn't make him faster! It makes our senses dull and our reflexes slower! He's a poser, and a bad one too!"

" **Aurthon, Erthnetora, filki majak ve jacida vers!** " Groaning, Natsu left Racer's body, leaving the man unconscious in the process, and entered the younger Dragon Slayer. Wendy screamed in pain as Natsu's soul spread its wings around her, letting her grow a little bit physically and powerfully. Her hair lengthened, her legs lengthened, her arms grew longer and stronger, her butt largened minutely and her chest swelled a bit more. Her hair was a darker blue now, with what appeared to be a few small lengths of braid in it now and her face was older by about a year when she screamed out, " **THRIC THRODENILT!** "

Natsu's soul shot out of the girl, entering his own body with a gasp. Instead of being a girl with no ass and less than an A-cup, Wendy now had an ass forming and she now had notable breasts developing. She seemed about a year older now. Just as Carla landed on Wendy's shoulder and looked to Natsu, she beheld him in a rage. His eyes devoid of reason or love, only hatred and the lust for destruction. He stood upon the ruins of a gigantic stone structure that was clearly his handiwork.

In the ruins laid the remains of everyone around them, friend and foe alike. Roaring to the sky, he forsook his humanity and became something less than human while remaining something more. Suddenly, the roaring of Happy awoke her as Racer tried to beat the tiger-like warbeast. "Happy!"

Natsu's voice made the white Exceed tense with fear before the pyrovore passed her and went right for the bastard attacking his son. Lighting himself on fire, he called out, " **Fire Dragon's Scorching Leap!** " Happy flapped his wings and moved out of the way as Racer took the full brunt of Natsu's solid, burning knees to the chest which caused several snaps to be heard.

"AAAAHHHCCKK!" Was all Racer could get out before Natsu grabbed him by the face and started smashing him against the ground itself, causing the black-and-blonde haired man several concussions.

"Natsu," Gray said warningly with a large, icy, demonic piece of armor over his own. "Stop! He's had enough!"

" **Thric, jaci tepohaic ti kiwiega aurthon loerchik ihk outhir sia deevdru!** " Natsu's eyes were narrowed into thin slits as he kept Racer down and stomped down on the man's left shoulder, his grin becoming sadistic at the Oracion Seis mage's cries of pain. " **Throdenilt. Scrivarn throdenilt! Nakta scrivarngic , mablik hofiba!** "

The pyrovore then placed his foot on the Slowing mage's left kneecap, grinning maliciously as he pressed ever so slightly more and more until-CRACK! "AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

" **Axun, throdenilt scrivarnk Sawyer, throdenilt! Wux tira svaion youwei ekess dout 'urgthumnum hertan' koppentotzk vur dout citari, wux jalla vucot svanoa kiarf astahii lamitha coi kiki!** " Natsu went for the next knee, choosing instead to break it quickly while still making sure it hurts like Hell for his enemy.

" **Thric throdenilt,** " Wendy said emotionally, most likely due to her sped-up aging and enhanced hormones. " **Nomeno tepohaic ekess pok!** "

The enraged fire-breather roared back at Wendy defensively, " **Thric coi nishka ti pok! Ornla jaci pok svadrav wux drekika jacion ekess pok, svadrav Carla drekika?! Thric! Jaci ornla ti! Jaci ornla nakta gethrisjir, jaci mirjalic wer diieson!** "

" **Yth** ," Wendy said, tears in her eyes at the sight of someone suffering. " **Re ti Astahi, yth re ti jacion, Erthnetora! Yth re udoka! Sjek wux nakta shafaer gethrisjir hefoc nomeno wux geou qe desta-ilroevi wer diieson-lae wer iri svaust agmasaon xurwka udoka triassar! Geou wux qe thric desta loupon astahii?! GEOU WUX, ERTHNETORA?!** " Natsu's eyes widened, as did everyone else's even though they couldn't understand a thing they were saying.

"Lucy..." Said buxom blonde looked to her scarlet-haired team leader, "Can you understand a word they're saying?"

With a nod, Lucy did her best to translate. "Natsu's saying that Racer did...something to what he's doing now to his prisoners. Wendy's telling him to stop this and that it's just like...'Them' but that's about all I can understand."

"It's enough. Do you hear that, Racer?" Gray's words made the Oracion Seis mage look to him confusedly, as the Devil Slayer pointed to Wendy as she argued with Natsu. "That little girl's fighting in your defense, don't take that for granted, because a Slayer's wrath is not something you want on your ass. Ice Devil's...RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Gray shot a beam of ice, cold air and snow onto the would be speedster's body to keep him still.

With a sigh, Racer said in shivers, "M-My prayer...to-to-to-to-t-t-t-t-t-to b-b-b-be...f-f-f-f-faster th-th-th-th-t-h-h-h-h-h-t-t-t-t-than-n-n-n-n-n-n anyone..." Out of the forest was a beam of light, making everyone look to it squintingly when the sound of a pained scream grabbed their attention. Running over to the source, they found Sherry bitten by the large snake when the beam of light hit Natsu and Cobra...

 **Omake 1**

As Natsu launches out of the ground from Clover Town he calls out, "YOLO!" When he hits the fountain in the middle, head on! "*** ***** ******* *****!" Everyone listening is either traumatized from his vulgar language as he holds his head while rolling around on the ground or is laughing their asses off. Erza comes to his side with a compassionate smile on her face as she fails to stifle her laughter.

"Are you-HAHAHAHAHHA-are you...Breath! Breath, Erza, breath damn it! A-A-are you okay, Natsu?" She cracks again, only to be met with a string of who knows how many curses in several languages that no one but a few understand, leaving the knightress with anime tears leaving her eyes at the aggression and unknown number of profanities.

"Hahahaha-cut!" The scene changes to the epic fight between Lullaby and Team Natsu, the giant wooden creature standing awkwardly as it tries to read its lines over Happy's tiny shoulder.

"Alright." Lullaby says. "I just have to roar and smack all of you around, right?"

"Aye!" Says Happy.

"Okay..." Getting into its zone, Lullaby closes its eyes and focuses. "Let me try a few times, okay?" Those around look to it, forgetting they've got jobs to do. "rrrrrrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! How was that? I think I can do better, it didn't feel right!"

Everyone around Lullaby and Happy are twelve yards away from where they were beforehand while Happy's crying at the loud ringing in his ears.

The scene changes again, this time to Natsu sitting in a chair. "So, what's it like playing yourself?"

"Honestly, I'd say it's as just like everyday life with only a bit more exaggeration, to tell you the truth."

"Okay. Can you tell us what the later episodes, chapters, volumes and such are going to be like?"

"Hmmm..." He closes his eyes and puts a hand to his chin now. "In a word: awesome. In several: emotional, passionate, hyped and altogether an adventure for those involved."

"Thank you, Mr. Dragneel."

"No problem!"

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

That's a wrap ladies, gents an' other! I'm really just improvisin' this arc up its own ass, just wanna make that clear. Natsu's aggression to Racer wasn't unearned, as all of the Oracion Seis are seen as arrogant, sadistic to some degree an' ruthless. Our favorite pyrovore's just makin' his enemy pay for his transgressions. It took me a few weeks to finish this chapter so any questions y'all 'ave ya gotta send 'em to me via PM or review.

As always: thanks for bein' 'ere, R&R, no flamin' my ass, constructive criticism, an' SEE YA-G'NIGHT!


	18. What happens to the soul when forgotten?

Whaz up ladies, gents an' other! Let's see what's poppin' with JinBop. YYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!-'Kay I'm done with that. Recap: Natsu got bitten by Cobra, Wendy healed him, Erza an' Happy got a new armor, Carla saw Natsu destroyin' them all an' lastly Cobra an' Natsu were hit by Nirvana's beam of light.

 _Thoughts or emphasis_

'Paraphrasin'

"Normal speech"

" **Nonhuman speech** "

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

(Cue: Nightcore-Cady Groves-This Little Girl/DAGames-Flumpty's Jam/Nightcore-Do it Like a Dude) The beam of light struck Natsu and Cobra before vanishing, leaving an bloodthristy pyrovore and a wide-eyed venom-drinker. " **Tir wux kampuin sia nirescholii, Drot?! Tir wux kiwieg sia loerchik?! Tir wux nymuer sia kornari ulnot?! Tir wux kampuin sia mefawg?!** "

With a grunt of extreme pain and a shaky voice, Cobra answered in kind. " **Svabol ui nomeno jivelgg? Si jahus vi silit vur nurti tepoha si rinov kiwiega nomeno cirau di loerchik! Svabol tira wux tir ekess ve?!** " Natsu laughed maniacally in turn, making Cobra take a fearful step back.

" **Nomeno,** " The fire breather said as he gestured to himself and the Oracion Seis mage. " **Ui sia sepa drekim svadria persvek jiil!** **I lost my mate to the world, searching for her each day of my life now, and my soul weeps for her to return. You're not even feeling a shred of my agony, Boy! If you want to survive your own bloodlust...You'd best get down on your knees and accept defeat! Or-** " Before he could make a move, Erza put a blade to his throat as Cobra and Cubellios left the spot of which they held for that moment in haste as a tall, effeminately-faced man with long, wavy orange hair that reached below his shoulders walked out of the nearby trees. Natsu's grin became even more razed as he let fire spark around his skin a little bit.

The man's eyes were a cerulean blue, his nose was prominent and flat, and his large forehead seemed to top his eyes directly due to a lack of eyebrows. He had a large torso as well as arms, but his head and thin legs looked a little off by comparison. He was carrying a book in his right hand, whose cover bore, inside a rectangular part with inward-pointing angles a large, dark motif reminiscent of the letter Jewel symbol. His outfit consisted of a loose black shirt, with light sleeves adorned by a series of dark merged rhombuses, a large, white collar closed on the front going down to cover his shoulders and a sash tied around his waist, visible under it, and simple light pants tucked inside light boots, with the parts circling his calves being reminiscent of leg warmers.

Around his neck he wore a necklace made of large beads like those seen on monks of varying religions, with a hanging eye pendant that was flanked by two small, wing-like protrusions. He was at the moment reading his book with much interest, although it seemed obvious to everyone that he'd read it before now several times. "You know, I knew a man who took a swan dive into a small pond of golden coins. Unfortunately, he broke every bone he had in his body in the process. Turns out, you can't swim in money unless it's soft..."

(Uncue music. Cue: Fireflight-Now/ League of Legends-Worlds Collide feat. Nicki Taylor)The man chuckled at that, making Natsu chuckle darkly. " **Wux nishka loreat persvek wer ibahalii di sia ibafarshani, Ulk'igh-Sthyr!** " He rocketed at the man with his entire body lit aflame before little Wendy knocked him out of his flight.

" **YTH RE TI ATASHI, ERTHNETORA! YTH RE TI ATASHI!** " Wendy's cry received her a roar of fury from her senior, making her pick up her arms in an x-shape to stop the shockwave from blowing her back.

" **Sjek si shilta ti svent jacion, si geou svent wux. Tir ti xurwuk ve ti nomeno, Suaci! Tir TI pok sia donoap!** " The younger Dragon Slayer looked to her superior before her slitted eyes narrowed as a breeze kicked up around her, making her hair flail around madly while Natsu's body was lit aflame. He charged at her, making her do the same with a loud hiss leaving her throat as Natsu growled extremely deeply.

Headbutting, their eyes made contact as Wendy called out, " **SVANT DARASTRIX VEBREN!** " The strawberry-head was sent flying into the air where he let his wings of fire loose, gaining balance as he roared down an inferno on the young girl below him, making everyone's eyes widen at the merciless act before the inferno started to emit an odd noise similar to...

" **THRIC IDOL!** " Natsu's surprise was met with a firestorm that extinguished his wings after enlarging them.

" **VALIGNATIR SVANT DARSTRIX VEBREN!** " Wendy's attack swirled around him, spinning him until he started to consume the firestorm to shoot it back at her with more power than she had. The resulting blast of fire swept over the cliff they stood upon, passing and hitting everyone, no matter how minute the burn. " **Sjek wux zklaen svent, tir ti astahi...svent ve! Erthentora, deevdru de wir Ixen Darastrix Daar, clax sia tobor persvek goawy dinomenes belhalir ekess nomeni mablik hofibai! Tir ti xkhat batobot svabolen dronilnra udoka ekess leirith marfedelom! CLAX VE PRESVEK GOAWY DI ASTAHI!** "

" **ZI ALGBO!** " Natsu fell from the sky, his left arm cocked back for a punch to Wendy's face, when Hoteye appeared in front of her which received him a flaming fist to the face. _FILKI LAE NADOTA!_

The large man was forced back to Wendy, who leaped into the air as she called out, " **SVANT DARASTRIX GIX!** " Wind picked up around her leg, speeding up her flip as her foot made contact with Hoteye's head, smashing him to the ground before he bounced right into Gray's extended demon arm of ice.

With a cocky grin on his face, Gray slammed Hoteye down onto the ground with a grunt of exertion. "Check and mate, bastard! Natsu," Said fire-breather looked to his rival with a wicked grin as his body started to glow slightly. "Spirit away!"

" **Di ekmiv!** " Exiting his body, leaving Wendy trapped under his husk's weight, he entered the man-made-of-geometrical-shapes. Opening the large man's eyes, he spoke in Hoteye's voice.

"His name's Richard Buchanan, and he's Wally's older brother! And his prayer, as he knows he's beat is this, ahem! 'My prayer: my brother, I wanted to see your face once more...'" Natsu exited the man's body, holding in his soul's 'mouth' what appeared to be a glowing orb which he gave to Jura once he found him underneath the ground. (Uncue music)

Natsu rose out of the ground, pulling with him a very grateful-to-breath Jura before reentering his body and getting off a very pissed Wendy. " **Tzarafar!** " Wendy's voice cracked as she said that, making her blush and cover her mouth as Natsu laughed while holding his sides.

" **Batobot ui diwhafup!** " Out of the blue, Natsu found a combat boot in his face that sent him into the dirt with the power of a young, enraged female Dragon Slayer.

" **TZARAFAR!** " This went on for a while, the two Slayers bickering and pissing the other off while the rest of the party talked about their next move.

"So," Erza started. "We've the first two of the Oracion Seis taken down, but-" Suddenly, Natsu was flung into the red-haired knightress which pissed her off more before Wendy landed with her ass on Natsu's face, a profuse blush on her face. She got off quickly as a beam of light passed right by her and continuously hit Natsu in the face.

And he roared angrily, " **XSIOL!** " The beam came from the Lisanna look-alike, making him that much more pissed. Those from Fairy Tail of course took notice of her ungodly resemblance to their lost guildmate, but they were more focused on the cannon with a halo above it. " **Keh vobit...** " As soon as he said that, he began to swallow the beam of energy with rage burning in his eyes as the mechanical cannon actually stopped and had what could only be called a 'look of sheer shock' as it had no face to speak of and its obvious summoner was just as dumbstruck.

That is until she saw the smug grins on Erza's and Gray's faces, "On a scale of one to ten...How fucked is she?" A draconic growl escaped Natsu, his eyes aglow with hatred at this woman who would dare fool him with an appearance like that of his beloved mate...

Looking to the still frozen in place angellically-dressed woman, Gray asked a question he knew the answer to, "Is the number twenty allowed?" The growl became an all-out roar now as fire spewed from his maw, his soul leaving his body in the process.

" **ZAHHAR, BELI!** " And it was over, Natsu's soul entered the woman without issue and she screamed in pain as he let his soul burn her a little bit. He then abruptly shot out of her, his dragon-like soul carrying another orb of energy in its (His?) mouth. This orb he gave to Lucy before the woman garbled in white rose from the ground, burn marks all over her, with a glare at Natsu whose slitted eyes saw into her very soul.

"Give me back," She gasped in pain. "My contracts and magic back, you son of a bitch!" Natsu only glared at her patiently as he understood she wasn't finished. "I worked hard to get this far, we all did. And we're not going to lose our freedom after this long since we left that damn Tower of Heaven! Give me back my contracts, give me back my spells, give me back my chances of FREEDOM!"

Natsu, understandably pissed, roared at her in a clean human voice, "FUCK NO! YOU'VE HURT INNOCENTS, RUINED LIVES, STOLEN CHANCES AND HEARTS! You're no better than me, but there's one thing that separates you and me! Want to know what it is?!" His eyes were filled with rage and lacked mercy as he said calmly, walking away from the look-alike of his mate, "I'm finding atonement for what I've done! Lucy," Said buxom blonde looked to her guardian seriously. Natsu showed her the Gold and Silver Keys her new contracts had given her. "Use the Sword, not the Ram..."

He stomped off, anger leaking off of him in a dark aura. Hesitantly, Lucy summoned the mechanical ball that had shot her guardian a few moments ago, "Open: Gate of The Chisel, Caelum!" And in answer to her call appeared a floating, mechanical orb with a metal halo floating above it. It had lines across its body, a darker ring around its center and a white circle with a green one at the dead center of one side, most likely its forward-facing side. Suddenly, its 'eye' befell Natsu as he glared, making it jerk slightly in midair before its lines revealed themselves to be folds as a large chisel jutted out from the top of its round form through the halo's ring and a bar from the bottom to act as a handle. Taking hold of its handle, Lucy fell on her face from its weight, getting Erza to scoff at her before taking the Celestial Spirit's weapon form from her hands and held it like and expert swordsman.

(Cue: Pitbull feat. Chris Brown-International Love/Kanye West-Stronger) Before she could do anything, however, Caelum began to glow with the glowing spreading to the scarlet haired knightress. A large replica of Caelum's halo-like ring rose from Erza's feet and dropped from above her head and met in the middle, when the rings grew and started flipping around the Titania and the Celestial Spirit. The rings suddenly stopped, making her tense in worry, until the glow vanished and she was garbed like Caelum looked. More halos formed, surrounding her head before merging into an upper-face-covering helmet which left her lower face exposed for speech and opened up in the back for her hair to be seen getting wrapped into a fishtail. Her eyes had openings to see out of with green light glowing outward.

A large chisel formed on the bracer that had appeared on her left arm as she held the sword in her right, the bracers reaching her hand to cover her fingers with sharp-ended 'claws'. Covering her torso was a bustier made of metal that seemed to stick to her skin, its pattern like that of the Spirit she held in her right hand. Greaves of the same metal and texture protected her legs and pelvic area, at her ankles two openings existed and her boots were well rounded to leave a bruise if needed to be used. At her hips hung different chisel heads, as if able to be used interchangeably with Caelum's current 'blade'. And finally, several halos floated behind her, each floating upright like sideways wheels instead of halos, forming wings of a sort as several chisel heads formed 'feathers' of metal by hanging from the rings.

" **Heavenly Sculptor Armor.** " Erza's voice was that of a machine, mechanical and metallic, yet there was a human quality to it that no one could really place. " **As I speak, I speak as the Celestial Spirit Caelum with the permission of the one known as 'Erza Scarlet'. Sorano 'Angel' Agria,** " Said Oracion Seis mage could only look on in fear at this woman wearing the power of a Celestial Spirit like it was nothing, the magicka emitting from the two was oppressive that she was barely able to stand. " **You have hurt the innocents of this land out of spite and amusement they do not deserve. Under the pretense of remaining free and giving others this same freedom, you have oppressed the innocents and undeserving while failing to see the ironic slavery you live in. As one of the one known as Brain's subordinates, you were a slave and were promised freedom as long as you served. Compared to the former place of slavery you were in, it would appear you are free...but you are a slave through and through, just doing as another human says. You are a slave,** just working under a new master!"

Lunging at the angellically garbed woman, Erza/Caelum slashed at her with the 'blade' of Caelum's form glowing a bright white like-"...an angel..." As the two neared her, Sorano smiled softly as she opened her arms in acceptance. "...How ironic..." And with one slash and a follow-up stab through the heart, Erza/Caelum finished the job as the former contracted mage of Caelum spoke one, last time. "My prayer: to fade into the sky like an...like an angel, to join my baby sister..." With that said, the 'blade' was pulled out of her without so much as a drop of blood or a wound.

" **Because you were a pawn looking to be forever free, you shall be spared to atone for your wrongdoings...Shut down in three. Two,** " As they spoke, the glow in the armor's eyes dimmed until-" **One.** " Caelum and the armor it had created for Erza vanished in a flash of light, leaving the knightress to her own devices and in her original Heart Kreuz armor.

" **D** **aron di charir, si mi zaja. Evnek astahi wer idol.** " Those words made Wendy turn to the pyrovore and catch him as he fell to the ground.

" **Erthnetora,** " She asked in concern. " **Svabol ui xuut?!** "

" **Si,** " Natsu said weakly as he fought to keep his eyes open. " **Kiwieg zaja shio di vi bisekim...Nommagpe ir ssifisv?** " He asked the last part with a tone of hope, his skin looking pale before he growled weakly. " **S** **i tepoha zulf sia mamiss vi sumf naeck...nommagpe batobot ui wer dril si kiwieg zyak zaja. Si shilta ti vdri, usv si janik ti rocen svern shar si kiwieg zyak zaja...Svabol ekess tir?** " With that said, he finally succumbed to sleep, nobody questioning it as he'd had an already hard day so far.

They had no idea what was happening in his 'dreams'...

 **Natsu's 'dream'**

(Landon Austin-Armor) Opening my eyes, I saw only the empty room of my house like I had for years. Pictures of times I didn't care to look at or remember. It had been hard ever since I'd given up my memories in exchange for living on in honor of those that had been lost. Exiting my home, I breathed a small stream of fire onto the wooden door as I made a new marking of protection.

It was winter, the clouded dawn sky my only companion as I melted the snow at my feet towards the guild. As I passed the townsfolk, they greeted me with cheery faces and happy attitudes I had come to recognize for the anniversary, and as I had done in previous years I lifted my hood above my hood and acted as cordial as I could while being brief with all of them. It wasn't that I didn't like the townsfolk going about their everyday lives, in fact I quite enjoyed a bit of chitchat in my nightly strolls around the guild and filing job requests into the book, but that I couldn't talk or I'd get distracted and be late.

Finally reaching the guild, I stopped, not for the first time, in front of the statue of those fools who'd thought to remain and I looked to the names that had been carved into the melded stone and shed iron. Looking to the last name, I sighed and pulled out the document and looked at the signatures. My own, the carver of the final name, and the one who'd possessed me in order to seal the deal even after death. Closing my eyes and bowing my head in respect to those damn fools, I continued to the guild with my coat starting to gather snow before I shook off the snow with a mild shiver. I'd been told that when I was still...prouder, I was immune to the cold through and through, but now I felt the cold more and shivered as if I'd lost that gift I'd had oh-so short ago.

Opening both of the guild's doors at the same time, I opened the dark, dimly lit building to the cold wind and snow before I closed the doors and strode to the bar where I brought out the dusty, old book with the mages and the jobs they'd taken as theirs to complete. I sighed again, as I'd been known for doing these few years after those fools stayed behind. _S_ _i jalla ti ingellar shafaer wer boja si shilta ti jinthil...,_ I thought with a nod as I wrote down the date.

Soon everyone else came into the dimly lit building, making the innocent young ones turn on the lights, making me wince at the brightness. "How many times have I said not to turn the lights on, **sil-rumaga kitril?** " The blue-with-orange-streaks haired boy came up to the bar and sat on a stool to look at me with a childish smile I recognized as his way of speechlessly saying, 'I know, but I do not care, Uncle Sally.'

He was only three, making me...I didn't even bother to care about my age anymore. All I knew was I was old, and that was all I needed to know. His mother came to his side, rubbing his shoulder compassionately as she said in a voice that was meant to sound scolding but was too soft to be so, "Bast, what have we said about incurring the Guild Master's adviser's wrath?"

I shook my head in mock exasperation, a very small smile on my face, making the two of them do the same. "You said to not to, 'not unless doing so brings a smile to his face.' That's what you said." Now it was his mother's turn to sigh, making me chuckle softly, which of course made the boy beam at getting such an impressive out of me. I've been told before those damn fools decided to remain, I was a great man who caused a lot of trouble but brought smiles to the faces of those around me while doing so, and that I was an inspiration to everyone to get stronger even during my worst of times which had lead up to my forsaking of my memories opting to live on for those I had supposedly lost.

Closing the book softly, I asked quietly a question I knew the answer to, "Are you looking to take a job request, Wanda?" She looked at me, my head still turned to the book cover as I put it away, knowing full-well how many requests would be taken at the moment.

"No...but you already knew that. How are you feeling today, Sal?" That was her name for me. Everybody had a different name for me. I had hated hearing my old name being used so casually, didn't they understand that that great man they had all loved like family and been inspired by had died with those who'd remained? I wasn't him, I was a totally different person and I would never be that great man they wish I could be again. Sometimes, I wondered what he had lost to have given up himself to become me, but I knew I would never have that answer. I had opted for the first name other than my original one from the current Guild Master.

The Second had given me my name, having originally called me by it even when I was that great man everyone missed. My name had been another country's word for summer, but my name was the type of dragon my father had been even if I could hardly remember him for what he had done. Looking up from the book, stroking its cover with my sharp-nailed thumb, I answered with a glint of thanks in my eyes and I said, "I'm feeling fine, my dear, no need to worry. Thanks all the same."

She only nodded, knowing I wouldn't lie about how I feel after everything that great man had done in his grief. "I've heard we've gone down again. How long do you think it'll be before we'll be ready to show this country our true strength. Saying this with a clenched fist, black sand started to float around her arm, making me sigh again and rub her shoulder comfortingly.

"When all of you have accepted they're gone and we can't bring them back. When we can move forward without looking back and letting it drag us any farther from where we need to be. Only then will we be able to show Fiore that our kind isn't dead yet." Before she could say something against my statement, I held up a hand and continued. "I know He wouldn't say that and that by saying that dishonors His and their memory, but even he knew there was nothing anyone could do to bring those damn fools back from beyond the grave." That made her slam her fist on the solid bar, which of course left a dent in it but left her hand hurting.

"Don't," She said dangerously. "You dare insult their memory, you fire breathing bastard!" Her eyes glowed with energy and black sand floated around her. I only stared at her dead in the eyes, knowing this was a topic they all had issues with as it had only been three years since those damn fools who'd remained had died.

With a sigh I said, "Wanda...There's nothing honorable about their deaths. They died defending an island full of life, which _is_ honorable, but they didn't do it for the right reasons. They did it because they were too stubborn to leave and they wouldn't accept defeat when it was stabbing them in the eyes. From what everyone's told me, they were a guild that was at the top...and He was a member of that guild, acting as a driving force for their progress. But like me and my father, what little I remember of his that is, our pride will be our downfall." I took a breath, looking to her as reason began to sink in and her rage subsided. "Don't get me wrong, I bet they were wonderful people like those we have here, but they died because they didn't know any humility and they died in vain because they couldn't stand the thought of running away. That's where our guild differs, we're strong and proud yet wise and humble, which is what they lacked and lead to their downfall."

"Regardless," Wanda said sadly. "Their anniversary is today, at least act like you're sad they're dead, please. It hurts all of us to see them gone, but it hurts us even more to know you don't care."

Sighing again, trying to make her understand, I said, "Wanda, wouldn't they want you to celebrate their lives and their achievements and struggles that they triumphed? Isn't that the reason this anniversary exists: To celebrate who and what they stood for and how they were your family?" And that was the last bit that calmed her down. Wanda was a wonderful mother to her son, Bast, and to her boyfriend, Bora, but she was also a compassionate woman who cared for her guild like they were her blood family. "It's not that I _don't_ care, Wanda, it's that I don't care for the way everyone acts on this day. It's been three years, and neither hide nor hair of those who remained has turned up. It's time to let sleeping dragons lie and remember for who they were and not how they died." She then looked very downcast, her son having left to talk to everyone else, before I did something somewhat out of character by pulling out two bottles of alcohol, one for me and one for her as I got two shot glasses.

Her eyes widened when she saw the brands. "'Dragon's Tear' and some vintage Scotch?" Pouring the liquids into a single shot glass, watering down my glass and lighting it alight with a match, I handed her the other glass.

"I'm going to regret this later, but..." She smiled a little at where this was going as she finished my sentence.

"Cheers." With that said, I drank my on-fire shot and she drank her Scotch, which resulted in me getting hammered by that damned alcohol the former ace's daughter had theorized and had made before remaining with the rest of those who'd remained. It was going to be a long day...(Uncue music)

 **Waking world, several hours later**

(Cue: Imagine Dragons-Monster/Shinedown-State of my Head) With a gasp, Natsu woke up and looked around with shock at the torn up landscape before the ground shook and he saw everyone laying there on the ground, making his eyes widen and his slitted eyes narrow. _No..._ The ground shook again. _No...!_ Looking to his right he saw Erza, Gray, Lucy, Wendy and a battle mode Happy downed and wounded badly. _No!_ To his left he saw Jura, Lyon, Sherry, Ichica and the Trimens all downed with worse wounds. The ground shook again. _NO!_

The sight of something flying in the air and the ground shaking were the last straw. " **THRIIIIIIIIIIICCCCCCCCCCC!** " And with that, Natsu's soul became visible and he was engulfed by it as he and his soul took off into the air after the flying serpent with a maroon haired Dragon Slayer atop it. " **SI TIR** **TI TANGIS DOEGE TIKIL DRONGILT ZAHAE SVABOL WUX RE KIWOR _LOEX!_** " His words, although roughly understood by the Venom Dragon Slayer, held such power the ground stopped shaking and Natsu's soul grew larger with hatred darkening its center and its glow brightening before he flew right through the twin fliers and started to burn away their souls' past of hurting all who didn't deserve it.

The two screamed until the serpent became a human girl who looked almost exactly like his mate, making him stop abruptly and bring them down to the ground next to each other as they forcefully slept. That's when the ground shook again, making Natsu realize it wasn't shaking from anything natural. " **NIRVANA!** " Flying at it with hatred burning out of his body, he burst through to the core with minimal issue as he feels Erik's and another man's prayer being spoken, and a rush of magicka tries to force him back before he rushes at it and finds Brain with white skin and red eyes.

" **Shishin!** "

"If you're referring to me, than you're more than likely speaking of my other self, Brain. I, on the other hand, am Zer-" He wasn't allowed to finish because Natsu was engulfed in black flames and punched him right in the face against the core of the Nirvana, destroying it, but he didn't stop. Punches, kicks, and headbutts were joined by spells and bites.

" **IXEN DARASTRIX USK BEMIN!** " Throwing consecutive punches, his fist was caught by Zero as if it were nothing as the albino grinned maniacally.

"Show me what you've got, boy!" With that said, Zero charged an attack at Natsu's heart which sent him flying out of the falling-to-the-actual-ground Nirvana, where Zero soon joined him and punched him into the ground where he flipped to slam a kick into Natsu's stomach, making the pyrovore unleash a-

" **IXEN DARASTRIX VERBEN!** " An inferno of black fire left Natsu's gaping mouth, making Zero leap back and create a pair of whips made of darkness and absorbing the flames which made his whips stronger. Just as Natsu got up, he used one of his strongest spells.

"Genesis Zero." From his now glowing-green fingertips came thousands of phantoms that surrounded and engulfed the soul-infused Natsu as he roared like a primal, feral beast without any reason. Inside the void the phantoms made, Natsu roared endlessly as he tried to fill the void he'd been forced into, his eyes devoid of reason until he heard a familiar voice.

" **Natsu,** " Said the deep, familiar voice. " **Wux re throdenilt versel loupon nomeno. S** **i tepoha agantal coanwor mobi ihk wux, jaka coi ui dout tairais ekess qe mobi ekess evnek si kema wux algbo!** " Natsu's empty eyes widened, their reason coming back minutely as he spoke into the void he existed in.

" **Igneel?!** "

" **Evnek** **si kema wux harkt vur batobot dout vers ui jennuilt loupon nomeno hofiba! TIR WUX NYMUER VE!** " And that was the last straw, Natsu's eyes returned to normal for a moment as he extended his left arm and slowly his right to form a sign with his hands, his face a grin that became proud and dangerous as he let his skin spark with power.

" **Igneel, si nymuer wux. Origato gethrisj intuil CHIILIPEN!** " Just like that, Natsu lost his reason once more, this time knowing what he was to do. " **NAVNIKIC DI WER OUITH CONFN EKESS VE VUR DEMAK VE SEANF NOMENO JATIL STHYR!** " As soon as he said that, he released his black flames into the void before devouring them soon after as they hit the barrier the phantoms made and he absorbed them into his own soul which grew to be larger than the false void he occupied.

Breaking the void, he stood on the ground before Zero with eyes filled without mercy like his, only difference was he held the souls of innumerable victims to his cruelty. Walking towards the man in green, Natsu left burn marks on the ground spanning about four feet each as his sandals had been incinerated in his rage. Reaching the man, Zero sent attack after attack at his opponent, all of them being eaten by Natsu and his black flames before the albino was up against a pillar of what was once one of Nirvana's legs. Reaching his enemy, Natsu said one word(s) in several voices as he prepared several attacks from several of the mages who had become the phantoms he had fused with.

" **Loreat** /Die/Suffer/Shinimasu/Sterf/Yamut/Vdes/Si..." There were so many languages, it wasn't possible to believe he said them all in one second before _all_ of the souls he'd fused with attacked as one being, destroying Zero and everything he was for all eternity. Looking to those who lay on the ground under the night sky, Natsu sent magicka towards everyone in the forest, animals and human alike. All that was left was a skull-topped staff with a crystal ball in it's mouth which Natsu picked up and ate.

 _You can all rest easy now, go rest in piece..._ As the souls left him, several decided to stay and became a part of his soul, giving him their knowledge and power before he once again, blacked out...(Uncue music)

 **Unknown location**

Staring into the void where Natsu was, stands the cloaked man. "That was too close." He says, letting out the breath he didn't know he was holding. "Don't you agree, Andromeda?" Said fate weaver looks to him blankly as she continues placing the cards she has selected.

"It's your own damn fault, Lunar Sun. If you hadn't pushed for eccentricity he wouldn't have been that close to figuring it out and we wouldn't have more work to do to keep us all together. Isn't that right, White King?" From a different 'direction' from the void came a humanoid being that had no definable features besides dark skin and feminine figure that stands between the two enigmas.

"Although true, I don't mind working a little harder than last time since it's going to make things easier this time when given thought..." Her words make Andromeda sigh in exasperation and get Lunar Nova to grin mischievously when a young girl with brown hair and an orange hair ribbon wearing a Japanese school uniform appears in between all three making all of them tense and sweat buckets.

Two words going through the minds of all three, _Damn it!_

 **Cait Shelter Guildhall**

The sounds of healing pierced his ears, making him groan as his stomach growled, " **Achthend...** " A young girl's giggle answered him in response to his groan.

" **S** **i tir ti vucot sjek yth tepoha batobot, shar yth tepoha creolnali svaion.** " Opening his eyes, Natsu saw a young bluenette whose hands we at his temples as they glowed and made him feel safe and at ease before a crash from another area got him to jerk upwards, which made him hit his head against Wendy's and end up staring into her brown eyes. They stayed there, staring into each other's eyes before Natsu started sniffing her curiously which made Wendy react appropriately. " **JIMVA! SVANT DARASTRIX VRELVEL!** " Swinging her left hand at his face, a talon of air forming around her once-healing hands, she struck the pyrovore across the face with a bruise forming from the ferocity of the strike.

Before Natsu could say anything, his son came flying into his chest and growling at the doorway, "She's at it again!" The blue feline then hid behind his father's back as Millianna came running through the door with a look of confusion, her garb different from the last time he'd seen her. She was still in yellow, white stripes and black trimmings gracing her attire, but the clothes she wore weren't like those from before. Instead of a regular jacket, she wore a sleeveless duster coat that was as yellow as a sunflower, black stripes . There were cat pawprints going up and down the sleeves of the shirt she wore underneath, the length of the coat had been cut in a way that it looked like a cat had gone rabid on it to look tattered. She had on high-heeled boots that were made to have bladed 'claws' at the toes and had a bendable cord going up and down her legs to make sure she didn't fall.

In her hand was a staff, a large cat's paw at its top near her hand with strings hanging from around each of the paw's 'fingers' which ended in a bell. Keeping her legs warm was a pair of leopard spotted yoga-style pants. Standing there, she looked around until she saw Natsu who was the one she came to the side of, "It's good to see you're awake, and as much as I'd love for you to stay, I've things to take care of and your group's going to have to leave soon..." At that, Natsu misread the statement as a threat and let his wings of flame spread, to which she held up her hands defensively with a sweat rolling down her face until the pyrovore was struck over the head by one irate Erza Scarlet.

"Knock it off, Natsu! She's the new Guild Master of Cait Shelter." Erza's words were met with a chuckling from her old friend.

"Actually," Millianna said with a smile, "I'm changing the name. Wendy's well aware of the fact that almost all of Cait Shelter's members were restless spirits and now that they're at peace they're finally put to rest, and with them so too is their guild and everything about it except for the guildhall itself. It was here before they passed, they just kept it in shape. With that in mind, most of those who've decided to stay here are now a part of the Sphinx Refuge guild!" She said this with sparkles in her eyes and her fingers in the 'peace' sign.

The young Dragon Slayer removed her hands from Natsu's head, her eyes downcast as she muttered, " **Si tepoha thric okarthel, tangis sjek si waph tenpiswo si geou qe loaw...** " Those words were heard by the calmed Natsu who proceeded to poke at the young Slayer's forehead until she looked to him irritably, tears fighting at her eyes.

" **Wux,** " He said hesitantly, trying to be tactful for once. " **Re throdenilt loupon aldoer mrith udoka persvek hesi hertan.** " Eyes now wide, Wendy stared at her salmon-haired senior in surprise before she lunged at him and caught him in around the neck in a hug, unintentionally strangling the life out of him.

" **VINXA! VINXA VINXA VINXA VINXA!** " This went on for a couple minutes until Natsu fell to his knees and then on his face, accidentally squishing the now all red Wendy as she struggled to escape from underneath the 'now' confirmed muscular male on top of her, which only made her blush more as a bit of blood trickled out of her nose before she wiped it away. It would be a while until anyone in the room stopped laughing enough to help her.

 **Unknown location**

The girl looks between the three mysterious individuals with an arrogant grin that screams 'I own you' as she says mockingly, "What's with the cold shoulder? I thought we were friends, Apollo?" The cloaked man jerks at that, pain in his eyes as he holds his chest. "You're all still my friends, right, Shinigami?" With those words, the dark-skinned, female being falls to her knees as the girl turns to look at Andromeda. "Maybe you'll still be my friend, C-"

" **AURTHON!** " The now-named Apollo roars at the girl, making her jump slightly at the sudden loudness and anger in his voice as he says, "You may know our original names and first titles, but that doesn't give you a right to use them like we're just toys to bend to your will as you please! We do as you and your kin say, in exchange you let us and our memories exist...That was the deal, don't over step your bounds just because you were here first and that you assume we're just going to let you walk all over us like slaves! We weren't here first, but we're here now and we're not playthings to be bent to your will when it suits you!" He stands weakly, glaring at the girl with an immense amount of hatred as he moves to be right in front of her, his body surrounded by a dark aura. "So, with all due respect: know." He grabs her shoulder firmly, "Your!" He squeezes, making several bones shatter and break, which was met with the girl screaming in pain. "PLACE!"

White King, now to be called Shinigami, stands as well, her eyes glaring as she says aggressively, "We began weak, troubled and amusing to you...but we've grown, matured and become powerful. And we grow moreso _every, single time_ we go through this cycle, meaning when we're ready...We _will_ make you pay! Now, back off, you immature brat!" The girl glared at the dark-skinned woman, her eyes full of indignation at being called a brat and for the pain she's feeling.

It was Andromeda who hammers the last nail in the coffin as she says, "If you're going to be helpful and supportive, then we might let you be as such...but if all you're going to do is belittle, insult and torment us...than you've got another thing coming! Name the time, name the place, name the type, but don't name _us!_ We're not your creation for fun anymore, we're individuals who're looking to exist and no matter how many times you play this event over in your head or in execution...It will still have happened, and nothing you can do will change that..." With that said, the girl is left to glare and suffer from her pain as tears run down her cheeks, her pride wounded considerably along with her shoulder.

"I'll make you pay," She mutters hatefully. "I'll make you all pay for what you've done!" With that, she's gone and there's nothing left to be seen...in the void...

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

That's a wrap ladies, gents an' other! I hope that was an alright chapter to read. I'll be the first one to admit my endin' of the Oracion Seis arc's kinda anti-climactic an' very much sloppy as I rushed it horribly. I've been tryin' to make it work, an' each time it seems to suck no matter how I write it, so I just decided to make an endin' that, although suckin' in manner, isn't one that can be called too cliche or horrendously bad due to the fact I've made several questions arise.

Natsu's time in Genesis Zero's somethin' I'd thought on for a while an' was a constant in all'o my attempts. He's pretty good at the use'o possession an' inspirin' those oppressed to fight, an' the fact that Zero/Brain's done so many horrible things'd add onto my theory that the phantoms he unleashes to trap people in Genesis Zero were once living creatures that're unfortunate 'nough to encounter him. Natsu, bein' the stubborn an' altogether assholish guy we know an' love 'im to be, rallied the souls of those who'd suffered, an' gave them a chance to redeem themselves by gainin' some closure in that Brain/Zero's now in Hell. Those few souls who remained in Natsu's soul're those who are fine with bein' burnt into his bein', it's their way of livin' through him. He now has their knowledge, magics, an' their skills which'll benefit 'im down the line.

His sparin' of Cobra an' Cubellios's due to the fact that Cubellios looks almost exactly like his mate, which's the factor that made him spare them an' calmed him down 'nough to think clearly. It's cheesy an' stupid, but that's my reasonin'. He didn't kill Sorano 'cause he kept seein' Lisanna in 'er place an' only took away her contracts that're fused to her soul 'fore he got to 'em an' gave 'em to Lucy. Leavin' Sorano's fate to Erza an' Caelum was his showin' of mercy to an opponent, as he knew Erza's not a killer at heart an' that she never goes all out against anybody except for nonhuman creatures due to her moral code.

The reason I had Natsu pass out's 'cause it makes sense, it gives Natsu a chance to feel confusion, an' I'm runnin' outta inspiration for this arc so writin' several fight scenes over potentially many chapters'd make this chapter take longer to come out 'cause inspiration's not like Navi from Zelda in that inspiration's not always talkin' or annoyin' the fuck outta me.

I hope ya'll caught how Wendy's behavior's a little...different. Oh, 'fore I forget: Cobra's fear of Natsu's due to the fact he was feelin' the pain of a severed soul an' the fact that someone's able to endure that day-to-day's 'nough to terrify even the cruelest of killers. I'm outta questions ya'll might have, so as always: thanks for bein' 'ere, R&R, no flamin' my ass, constructive criticism, an' SEE YA-G'NIGHT!


	19. Are dreams only dreams?

Whaz up ladies, gents an' other! I'm workin' to bring these chapters together an' update my stories as fast an' efficiently as possible. I like writin' these stories for all ya'll to read an' for me to read myself so I can see where I need to better my skills. But the thing's that I can't make 'em *I snap my fingers* like that anymore. As I've said 'fore, I came up with this story from listenin' to music an' the music made me imagine the Edolas, Tenrou an' Magic Games arcs. So, my biggest issue's figurin' out what I'm s'pposed to put in the middle of the slices of bread.

I've _literally_ been writin' these past chapters on nothin' but heat'o the moment ideas an' random conversations I picked up on. I'ma finish this series, no question 'bout that, but it's no longer as easy as it's been 'fore an' I'm climbin' a steep hill to make these arcs both entertainin' an' memorable for ya'll to read. The characters I've made on my own were fun to make an' hard to come up with on my own, but I enjoyed makin' 'em an' givin' 'em life. By expandin' on the past(s) of these characters, my own an' canon, has been a pleasure an' a great brain exercise.

I've used names' other anime characters but I've done so sparin'ly as a last resort if a resort at all. The Slayer War's there to give Natsu an' the other Slayers a reason to hate the government an' give them a bit'o depth they kinda lacked in canon. Natsu, for instance, is an excitable brawler with a low IQ an' less patience as well as a passion the gods wouldn't be able to quell. Wendy's a cute, shy little girl with a lot'o power 'hind her an' an unfair amount'o self-esteem issues. Gajeel's a proud son'o bitch with a great deal'o skill, power an' musical ability minus a song voice an' his ego's bigger than the things he's taken down most'o the time with 'nough emotional insecurity to start lookin' for a cat like his fellow Dragon Slayers.

They're great characters with depth, history an' emotional dimensions but they kinda lacked a common enemy with all the other Slayer Type mages. I gave 'em one. An enemy that's the cause for most'o their problems, an enemy that'll go to any length to keep its own ass outta the fire an' destroy anythin' it doesn't approve of. The Magic Council's a pain in the ass due to its inability to accept anythin' that doesn't conform to its idea of beauty, what else's worthy 'nough to be hated by an entire type(Breed/species) of mages that's got power 'nough to destroy anythin' humans can't deal with?! The Magic Council's killed in canon-thank ya Hiro Mashima!-an' with good reason.

This story's been lookin' me in the eye without anythin' to show an' I'd like to make up for that by puttin' as much effort into makin' this arc better than the last. I don't own Fairy Tail or anythin' I bring into this series that's based or from 'nother series, leave that to their respective owner's 'cause their genius can't be anyone else's but their own. I'm sorry for ramblin', but I felt I had to get that off my chest an' get it out there for ya'll. With nothin' else I can think of, le-go!

 _Thoughts or emphasis_

'Paraphrasin'

"Normal speech"

" **Nonhuman speech** "

 ** _XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_**

(Cue: We The Kings-Sad Song/Lukas Graham-7 Years) I was in the Guild Master's office, the Second doing paperwork alongside me as we checked for anymore damages we had to pay for or any issues we had to address financially. The number of job requests on the board had gone down considerably thanks to Nab's devotion to the guild and his ability to finish jobs quickly and efficiently without causing mayhem like those who'd remained had in their guild.

"What's eating you?" The raven-haired Guild Master asked out of the blue, waking me from my thoughts. Looking to him curiously, I stared into his remaining red, slitted eye with a confused expression on my face which made him chuckle. "I may have only one eye left, but that doesn't make me blind. You haven't said a word the whole time we've been here, and you're only ever like that when something's eating you. So, what's wrong?"

I sighed, my eyes closing momentarily, before opening as I said seriously, "I've been without my memories for three years, waiting patiently for any to potentially return. I know He forgot to stop hurting, but that doesn't sound anything like him from the stories I've been told and I feel like he took the coward's route..."

He sighed, looking to me sadly as I looked to him emotionlessly, my need to know overriding the patience I'd developed over the three years I'd been amnesiac. "Normally, I'd agree with that statement, Salamander. Choosing to forget those you've lost instead of remembering them for who they were _is_ the coward's decision. It's just as bad as having killed those you lost yourself instead of having found out they've passed..."

"Then why-"

He cut me off with a raised hand, "But," His remaining eye was closed as he remembered a time short passed and preferred. "There are things we experience that are better left forgotten to carry on for them so that they're remembered by those who can endure the weight of their loss..." His eye opening, he looked to me as I stood there with a face of thought and a hint of sadness when he asked softly, "You still carry around the document?"

My hand went into my pocket, bringing out a folded piece of paper with a court judge's seal marking it as valid. "You of all people know I do..." I stroked the sides of it, wiping away some dust with my thumb, my eyes looking into and through the fine print to imagine the life He'd had before I came into existence. Turning to look at him again, I asked confusedly, "Why?"

A sigh left him before a nostalgic smile came to grace his normally stern face as he stood behind the desk in a way that seemed like he was sitting in a soft chair, never having broken his respective vow like the rest of us had kept ours. "When you were that great man we speak of rarely, you and I were a pair of problem-causers, normally starting up a brawl that got the previous master involved and ended painfully for both of us. He was quite the guy, and we miss him, but he missed Them more than anything. Especially... _Her_." My eyes widened slightly.

I'd heard about how She was His lover, girlfriend, mate-whatever they called Her-but no one had ever explained what had happened to Her besides she disappeared. "Did She get away?" I asked as calmly as I could, a hint of worry in my voice, when I saw him shake his head before covering his face with his left hand as he fought off tears.

"She was one of the few who remained. She didn't have a choice, really. I'm sure She tried to escape with us, but the others of the few who remained didn't understand and held her there as Laxus, Wendy, myself and Him escaped." His voice was cracking, something no one had ever seen in the three years our guild had stood and absolutely never had anyone heard this in his almost-finished first year of being Guild Master! "We were forced to leave them behind, the Dragon King's roar and power overriding our natural instinct to fight him. He'd ordered us to leave, and we obeyed against our will...Everyday we regret being weak, which is why we stay under the Council's radar to train. But..." He sobbed, barely audible to a normal human, but I heard it and my eyes widened with shock.

Shuddering slightly, he continued weakly, "He wasn't the only one to lose the few who remained. Laxus, Wendy and I all cared for them too! We had someone special, someone we took for granted, and to this day we hate ourselves for being weak! Believe me, Salamander-and don't you ever forget this-," I looked to him as he glared at me, my eyes wide with concern as he wiped away a stray tear and pointed at me with a glare that would scare most normal people. "Everybody wants to tell you everything you want to know, but we can't risk losing you another time to have a cycle develop! We can't let that happen! Just be patient...Wait for His memories to come to you and you might be able to shoulder His pain instead of fall victim to it like he did..."

Eyes wide, I nodded slowly, making his glare dissipate until he returned back to the paperwork. "Can you at least...tell me what He did, the little things? Nothing major like how He defeated monsters terrorizing the few who remained's guild, but the things He did in the few who remained's guild. What He ate, what He drank, what did He do when He wasn't away on jobs..." I had a look of desperation to at least know _something_ about Him. "Everyone tells me He was a great man, but I don't know that! I have only everybody else's stories to bank on for reference and I barely have that! I need to know at least who He was and I don't mean that He was a great man, I mean as a person..."

Another sigh left him as he placed his hands on the desk and let it hold his weight through his arms, hanging his head as he shook his head with a soft chuckle. "You're not going to let this go, are you?" He said this knowing the answer, knowing how much that irritated me, with a bit of a rueful smile on his face. "Huuuuhhhh...Natsu, since I'm tired of beating around the bush while referring to him, was stubborner than a mule with a cocky attitude and a passion that lifted up the old guild's spirits in the darkest of times..." We continued working, Second explaining who He was as I listened intently. (Uncue music)

 **Waking world, train to Magnolia**

Waking up with a heaving sound, Natsu groaned his consciousness to the world and to the redheaded knightress whose lap his head was in. "How do you feel, Natsu?"

"I hate-UGH-trains!" He groaned again as he sat up. Lucy was right across from him, Gray as well with Wendy in the suitcase area above them, and she was looking positively green like her senior. Deciding to lighten the mood, Natsu opened his mouth thinking it was intelligent, "You come here often?" Wendy, blushing, looked away quickly which made Carla shake her head in mock exasperation while happy chuckled.

Rolling his tongue, Happy said teasingly, "She liiiiikes you!" Natsu only looked at his son with a sideways stare before looking at the two sitting across from him.

"Lovely," Everyone's eyes widened at that as he continued, "Anyway, how far are we from Magnolia?" And all they could do was groan at his thickheadedness as large sweatdrops fell from their heads.

"Not long," Erza said calmly with a soft smile on her face as she stared at her salmon-haired friend. "An hour or two at most."

"Hirhirhir," He chuckled mockingly, "Fuck that! I'm ou-CH!" His stomach was slammed by an armored fist, making him find his way back right where he started with his head in Erza's lap.

Gray then said casually, "Looks like he's fisted into unconsciousness!" Those words made Wendy, Lucy, Carla, Erza and Sherry in another booth blush profusely as the Ice-Make mage chuckled at his play on words.

"Say that again and you'll join him..." Was Erza's menacing threat, making Gray freeze up with fear. "Maybe you should take a walk."

"Yes, ma'am, as you wish!" He said in a high-pitched, terrified voice which made Erza look to Happy curiously.

Said cat nodded, "It's not just you. He sounded like Paatsu did when Lismama kicked him in the balls." Once more, the female mages blushed profusely, except for Erza who was accustomed to Natsu's son being blunt and a little to comfortable around females. His mother had been a large contributor to that as she brought him along for most of her older sister's games, which weren't all appropriate for children.

With a sigh, Erza patted his head gently which made him purr until Wendy asked the big question, "Lis-who?" And like that, the calm, preferable-awkward atmosphere became awkward in a negative way, making the booth become silent. Carla and Wendy looked between each other uncomfortably before someone broke the silence.

"She's," Natsu said seriously as he rose from laying down, "My mate, and I'm still going to find her, no matter what people say!" He looked to Erza angrily, said redhead's eyes hidden by her bangs. An even more oppressive atmosphere settled into the booth before Wendy broke it.

"'MATE'?!" Natsu's eyes only turned to her, a glare meeting her surprised gaze which made her back up into the shelf before growling and looking at him with her own glare. They stayed like that, the two Slayer type mages glaring at each other as they let magicka leak out of themselves, giving fresh air to counter the sweltering heat of Natsu's anger. "Where is she?!" Wendy asked that hastily, accusingly, making Natsu's glare worsen as he got up suddenly, being met with an attempt to knock him out before he left the booth with a slam of the door.

Looking to the bluenette, Happy stared at her sadly. "She's the other one who raised me after I hatched. She's also the only one Paatsu's ever considered an equal in power and a worthy rival to fight for the position of strongest mage in Fiore." The blue, recently-developing-stripes Exceed looked to the floor depressingly. "She was stolen from us..."

Erza stroked Happy's ears comfortingly, making his ears twitch cutely. "The time before that was a time of better days..."

"And as Natsu always said suggestively, 'Even better nights.'" Gray said as he came back from his walk. "The flamebrain's been so deadset on finding her he's lost sight of almost everything else, the only thing keeping him from forgetting to eat in search of her's his son, Happy..." He then started snickering compassionately as he patted Happy's head, getting everyone to look at him curiously. "Erza, remember when Natsu first asked Lisanna out? Hehehehehe! He was so confused from her reaction!"

Erza chuckled at that, the day fresh in her mind still while Happy beamed brightly. "That was an interesting day to say the least. Although..." The Titania said the last part thoughtfully, hand cupping her chin in thought. "Cana never was the same after that. Do you think..." Gray shook his head with a shrug.

"She may drink, but being blitzed doesn't make her lips loose." The topic change had made things easier as Happy started spreading his wings and using them to lift light objects before going to slightly heavier ones. This made Carla stare at him curiously as he sat there, hind legs crossed and his forelegs crossed across his chest with his eyes closed.

 _He's serious about this, but it's obvious his wings are tired and he can't keep it up for long..._ Going out on a limb, Carla fluttered down to sit down behind him with her own wings spread as she used hers to help him support the book he had on each wing. She looked from the corner of her eye to see he was staring at her in gratitude for the assistance. "Why are you trying to make your wings stronger? Smaller wings can make tighter turns while bigger wings can only give you better lift. In a fight you'd need to be more maneuverable than powerful to outsmart an opponent."

Happy just grinned, his eyes closed in concentration. "Sorry, but that's not what I'm doing. Although I'd like my wings to be stronger, which is partly why I'm doing this, this is to help me with a spell I've come up with but it requires more mana than I have and I need to train to get to where I need to be...It's not that I want bigger wings-even if that would help me carry Lugi-it's so I can maneuver quicker and have more power behind any spells I use or learn."

Unknown to them, however, Natsu was playing with literal fire.

 **With Natsu in the hallway**

Staying in motion eased away motion sickness, which was the complete opposite of his instinctual reaction to lay down and curl up into a ball of misery. But that wasn't important, what was was he had more magic types than before at his disposal. Looking for a place to walk in place without anyone giving him weird looks, Natsu's eyes passed by the window long enough to see-" **Galley?!** "

It was a split second, but it was enough for him to see who he was talking about as he leaped out of the window and rolled onto the mountainside after giving himself a little boost. Looking up, he saw who he was talking about clearly and was now positive it was who he'd thought, an excited grin on his face. Before him stood a large, mottled blue and white scaled serpentine creature with two legs near the front of it. Eyes the color of the clouds with black sclera and eyes at the sides of its head, it tilted and leaned down its head to the side to see what had just landed near it.

Speaking of its head, the shape of its skull was narrow for aerodynamic purposes with a rounded 'beak' that opened to reveal it had no teeth but had sharp rims for both jaws to sever anything it could eat in half. Two horns were at the top of its triangular head, these horns growing to reach away from its face like many other dragons, although a small fin grew from in between the two horns. At the back of its head on the sides were spikes, three for both sides that reached away from its face like its horns.

Going up its spine was a pair of fins, these ones pointing towards the front of this strange creature, coming up its neck, under its lower jaw until they jutted out like a sort of beard. This strange and magnificent beast was Galley, the Wyrm, the Lindworm, the Dashing Prince. Standing to be about as tall as two of the train's passenger cars, he was about as long as three of said cars. " **Deevdru di wer Ixen Darastrix Daar, Natsu? Ui batobot wux?** " Natsu could only nodded excitedly as the Wyrm lowered his head more to nuzzle Natsu's head as gently as possible seeing as he had only two legs and his tail would strangle the Slayer, and the gesture was met with Natsu pressing his brow to the dragon's snout as a sign of greeting and familiar respect. Pulling his head away slowly, the Dashing Prince said in a charismatic voice as smooth as a simple breeze, " **Coi tepohaic coanwor kiri dong, Natsu. Pertranas visp ve, svanoa tepoha wux coanor jilgir svern?** " There was a somber tone in his voice and a look of concern in his slitted eyes.

Natsu sighed, opting to stand instead of sit in respect to the Wyrm before him as he began explaining how his separation from his literal soulmate, the pain he'd felt and how he'd been coping so far. After about fifteen minutes, Natsu was finished with a look of pain and sadness at the circumstances he had found himself caught in. The dragon before him having a look of remorse and empathy as he breathed a small breeze around the pyrovore which made said salmon-headed mage sigh with an air of relief as some of his pain was removed from his body and blown away to the wind. " **Vinxa Galley!** " (Galley, pronounced 'gah-lay'. Ya'll're welcome.)

" **Siofme ehis di coi, Natsu. You're too young to be suffering like this, even a dragon of a hundred human years is still too young to be in this much pain, yet you carry it with pride and humility as you hold your head high...just like the Fire Dragon King himself.** " Galley looked to the clouds, his head turned so he could see what he needed to, before he leaned his head down and picked Natsu up in his mouth carefully before tossing him onto his neck. " **Tell me, Natsu, svabolen idol ekess Magnolia?** "

Pointing in the general direction of the port town spoken of, Natsu grabbed onto the two horns in front of him in preparation. " **Krathin!** "

What could only be called a grin formed on Galley's face as his claws sank into the ground, " **Bensvelk, tagoa Tenpiswo YTH GETHRISJ!** " And like that, they were gone, a literal cloud of dust having appeared in their image before dissipating. Galley's most prominent title as the _Dashing_ Prince wasn't for nothing, after all, as he slowed down his stride gradually until he was beside the train Natsu had leaped out of where the still conscious Wendy and Gray saw the beast their friend rode upon with awe.

"What the Hell?! Hahahahahahaha! No way, he found a dragon!" Gray's words made Lucy, Carla, Happy and Erza open their eyes to find nothing there which made them look to Gray accusingly. "Hey, Wendy?" He looked to the Sky Dragon Slayer from the corner of his eye.

"Hm?"

"Did you by chance know the name of that dragon?" All he got was a shake of the head before Natsu fell through the roof of the booth and right on top of Gray, their heads colliding and knocking them both out cold(Hot?). Once again, weird dreams were the only things that came to him...

 **Natsu's 'dream'**

I held in my arms a blonde, so-blue-it-was-black eyed infant with the utmost care. I looked up to see Igneel looking at me before turning back to continue conversing with Weisslogia, Skiadrum, Metalicana, Grandeeney, Galley and several other dragons I didn't know the names of. But I did catch sight of one small dragon, not that much bigger than me in fact. Although still early in my training as a Dragon Slayer, I was well versed in my dragon lore and understanding of certain...'traits' to differentiate dragon from dragon.

This one had a feline appearance, a mane the color of a blizzard and eyes made of gems. Even though she was young, she had relatively muscular limbs although they were thin enough to be light on her figure so she could run a fair distance without getting too tired and without needing too many breathers. She had wings that weren't exactly the greatest for extreme heights or speed yet since she was obviously about the same age as me and what her demeanor spoke of her, I could tell how confident she was right now. I wasn't really surprised either. At the time, I was even more ignorant than I could ever be, but I knew of the Dragon War.

Even though the war had ended, there was still a lot of hostility between dragons and humans. Many dragons saw humans as either food or just an annoyance while almost all humans hated and feared dragons, thinking them monsters or mindless beasts that only existed to be hunted, as stupid as that belief was. A peculiar scent reached my nose: the scent of a snowy mountain with hardy trees growing from its slopes, too stubborn to accept defeat. Looking to her with curiosity, her eyes met mine for the first time and we stayed there, eyes locked.

Not one muscle budged. It was as if our very minds were battling without my knowing as I refused to look away or blink, until a hand touched my shoulder, breaking our stalemate. "Staring is rude, Little Boy." On my shoulder was a hand, a human hand to be exact. Following from the hand, up the arm, and to the shoulder joint my eyes befell a large, round extension on the person's chest which made my head tilt like I'd seen Galley do sometimes when he seemed confused. My curiosity drove me to investigate the potentially deadly sickness the person was suffering from by poking at the growth, making it jiggle and bounce as I continued, trying to understand this unknown thing-correction-thing _s!_

Seeing the other one, I tried the same thing with the other one only in a higher spot, getting the same result with the addition of a weird noise that made me start and back off cautiously. My eyes didn't leave the odd, jiggly, bouncy, noise-making orbs for as long as possible before a hand struck me across the face which made a smack noise resound around me as I staggered back with a red handprint on my poor face and woke the little blonde in my arms who began to cry until I eased him back to sleep. Looking to the one who struck me unprovoked, I saw it was a blonde human whose chest was suffering from the infection that made those orbs.

"Does it hurt?" I asked calmly, making the infected human give me a quizzical look before I nodded to their chest where the eyes of anyone who decided to listen in looked, making the person's cheek burn red. "Is that another symptom of your disease? First your chest swells until it looks like melons are attached and then your cheeks turn red?!" I would come to regret those words, as the human's eyes became hidden by their bangs and their fist shook with rage until I saw a glint from where their eyes would be, making my skin crawl with fright of catching whatever sickness they had. "Shouldn't sick humans be getting treated for their ailment, not bringing it around kids?!" And that was the final straw, as they vanished from my sight and appeared behind me where I turned to see a fist strike my skull several times.

In the background came the barely stifled laughter of several of the dragons or the young dragons I'd caught glimpses of out of the corner of my eyes. I looked to them with more confusion as the human stopped hitting me, which made me shake my head to get rid of the disease they carried. Suddenly, Igneel stepped in the human's way and said warningly, " **Remember the plan, Anna. Besides, Natsu wasn't around long enough to come to understand how to differentiate male or female humans, only dragons. To him, you're no more than a man whose body has undergone 'disfigurement' from an unknown disease.** "

Those words, although true and somewhat confusing to me at first, didn't lighten the now identified Anna's attitude towards me. In fact, I'd say it made...'her' angrier as she glared daggers at me like I did something wrong. She took a few calming breaths, her anger diminishing before she returned to the group of dragons and a few humans, their seriousness returned and their conversation picking up where it had left off. I looked to Igneel curiously now, "What's with 'her' to get angry with me? I didn't do anything!"

Igneel shook his head with a sigh, some of the humans and younger dragons chuckling at my ignorance. One of the humans came to my side, his hair long and black with eyes the color of a clear, orange sunset and the clothes of an age I didn't know. He knelt before me, a hand on my shoulder with a kind smile which let me see that all of his teeth were sharp and pointed. Speaking with a charismatic, wise voice, he said knowingly, "My boy, although you did nothing wrong, you're not innocent in this situation. Your lack of understanding has made you a new enemy, one not even the great Igneel would want to fight. Female humans take great pride in their appearance, and someone saying there's something wrong with their appearance is almost immediately their enemy. Even though you didn't know and didn't intend to, you insulted her appearance by mistaking her breasts for tumors or some similar growth, which is worse than basically anything you could say about her appearance being unappealing to you. So, I'd suggest you ask what something is before you assume, otherwise you'll have to watch your back constantly..." He strode off, his knee-length, coal-black hair contrasting with his pale, white skin. To his side he held compassionately a human with similar features to Anna, only her skin was dark and her chest was smaller.

More questions swam in my head at the stranger's words, my face portraying my confusion as a few more laughs left the humans and young dragons near me. Among them was the white dragoness, her demeanor still self-conscious and awkward with a regal pride tampered by humility. Before I could ask her her name, a light fell from the sky and with it a being garbed in armor with flat, round stones floating behind it and around its arms in a circular motion. Its face was hidden by a hood of a tainted blue and its armor the color of many different stones. Its physique implied a male of its species, if it had one.

As if to prove me wrong, beside it landed a similar being, armor the color of a clouded sky with tendrils of a glowing, smoke-like energy. This one had a veil I couldn't see through over its head, tendrils of more smoke-like energy flowing behind its head and a figure like that of Anna and the dark-skinned person next to the pale-skinned man. The one with the energy 'wings' and 'hair' spoke in a smooth, silky voice of what I assumed was a female, "We are here to assist your kind in this plan, Zeref of the Alvarez Empire...What is it you require of our kindred?"

Garbed in black robes, a man with short, black hair strode forward to kneel before these two beings as said creatures reciprocated the gesture of respect. The three soon stood up straight, the strange two from the sky presumably looking into his eyes as he did the same to where the eyes of a human would be on the two creatures. This 'Zeref' looked to them and said gratefully to them, "I thank you for coming, your help is a blessing. What I wish you to do is keep an eye on these four," He pointed towards myself and the infant in my arms along with the two Dragon Slayers behind me, as he continued, "In their travels. They'll be arriving on the seventh of July in the year X777. If you would be so kind, can you perhaps bring any of your own to fight him in let's say...the same month of X791?"

The one with floating stones had crossed its arms, most likely in thought as it and its companion stayed silent for a few moments. Turning to each other, they 'stared' at each other before turning back to 'Zeref' with a simple nod from both of them before the one with tendrils coming from its back flapped the tendrils as one and lifted off the ground while its companion leaped into the air before the floating stones around it began to circle around it faster, giving it lift. The one with stones looked down to 'Zeref' and said in a strong, masculine voice, "It shall be done, Death Killer. Fear not of that." With that said, they were gone, leaving us to our own devices.

Looking at the spot they had gone confusedly, I asked out loud, "What were those and what just happened?" Most of the adults around myself and the other young ones groaned and a few even found their faces in the ground, the young ones, myself included, only staring at our elders confusedly. Zeref came to me, his smile kind and his eyes full of hope, my blood beginning to boil as I placed the infant in my arms down somewhere safe before I leaped at the man and started punching, each attack being either dodged or deflected by him, making my blood boil more.

"I admire the enthusiasm, Natsu," He said calmly, a happy smile on his face as my punches and kicks were blocked and deflected by only one of his hands. "But you should save it for when you're stronger, when you're ready..." My foot was then caught by his hand and followed soon after by me being tossed lightly towards the infant I'd held, making me glare and growl at him before thinking better of it for the moment and picking the infant back up into my arms. Igneel chuckled softly, his claw coming to go through my hair proudly at the fire in my soul, making me grin at the proud face he held.

Skiadrum and Weisslogia had turned around at that point to see the infant I held smiling, knowing something I didn't as they exchanged a glance before coming over to take the infant from my arms and another from the other young Dragon Slayer's arms. I looked to Weisslogia curiously, making him look back with a face of question as I asked innocently, "What do Light Dragons eat to replenish their power?" He blinked in surprise, the question being a bit more serious than expected of someone my age most likely. "Do you eat holy things? I remember you saying your power is that of the divine or something like that. Does that mean bibles or crosses? If that's the case, would that make you a saint or a heretic?"

The only response I got was a bunch of laughter from the white dragon, his eyes closed as the laughter shook him. Many of the other dragons and Slayers were also laughing until a human with what I could only guess were female traits came into the construction site we called meeting place. Her hair reached her shoulders and gave off a strange sheen of a powerful mage, her eyes full of worry and her breathing heavy. "We've got company, we'd better hide!"

With that said, Igneel folded his wings into a pyramid-like fashion as he brought me close and whispered in my ear to stay quiet. As his wings 'doorway' closed, I caught sight of the young, gem-eyed dragoness, our eyes meeting again, before she and who I could only assumed was her mother, ran off into the distance as I lost sight of them and Igneel's wings closed around us. All that was left, was Igneel's and my own rhythmic breathing and the darkness...

 **Unknown location**

Looking towards the past stands a man with a sword in a scabbard that looked like an arm on his back, his hands wearing fingerless gloves and having callouses all over. He turns to see a female being with an hourglass figure, drapes over her arms and a large, red jewel adorning her brow. Bowing slightly with a grin, he looks to her with his good eye, a pleasant grin on his face as he says cordially, "Desert Goddess, it's been too long. What brings you to my area of the heavens?" He makes an indicative gesture to the lava, caves and mountains that surround them as they float and flow endlessly in the void they occupy.

Desert Goddess, as no other name or title has been given, bowed back to the male with a similar smile. "It has been too long, Beowulf. I only came so see an old friend is all. I've been feeling somewhat uncomfortable with those worshiping. Their pleas are too demanding and I find myself remembering..." Her smile fades, replaced instead by a sad frown before Beowulf places a steady, comforting hand on her shoulder and squeezes softly, making her wince slightly before smiling back, knowing his strength isn't able to be controlled easily and that being able to not destroy her shoulder is an achievement.

"We all miss those we've lost, old friend. We lose them once...and we lose them again, but we remember it's them we live on for." He says this kindly, wisely, as he lets go of her shoulder and strokes his beard in thought and nostalgia. "If only...we could share with them..." His good eye begins to water before he coughs into his right hand and wipes away the watering, getting Desert Goddess to sigh and nod before rubbing his shoulder soothingly.

"It's almost time, just a few more centuries. _Decades_ if everything goes the way it has! Hold on a little bit longer, Beowulf, until we're able to try again..." She looks into his eye as he smiles gratefully, when they turn to stare into the void as they feel it..."Change/Change" They say as one, soon after followed by them running, jumping and swimming through the pieces of environment that polka dot Beowulf's domain. Quickly, they reach an area of the void filled with an eerie colorlessness that is neither black, white or grey.

"The Unending Beginning..." Desert Goddess says in awe, her eyes scanning it for anything peculiar. It's the voice of male with hair of golden fire that directs their attention to the anomaly.

"INCOMING!" Turning almost too fast for eyes to see, they spot the male with golden fire-hair and turn back around to spot, "PALEBLOOD!" Out of the Unending Beginning comes a large creature, unlike most things the world has ever seen. Its body is composed of what looks to be human flesh and bones, red blood staining most of its body, the torso of its body especially. Behind its head writhe tendrils like the bodies of several enormous worms. Instead of a face like any regular creature, it lacks what anybody could describe as a face: a slanted, rounded front of what appears to be a seashell of some sort or some bone- _But_ , more understandable to any mortal of the human realm, a ladle or possibly a smoking pipe with a large hole in the bottom of it. From the top right side of its head extends a 'horn' that bends backward into what looks like the grip and shaft of a ladle or a smoking pipe, while the 'face' of this creature is only the bottom of either of the previously mentioned items with a relatively large hole and a smaller one above the larger one. Behind it are three 'tails' that resemble what a fusion of a rosebush's branches and roots would look like.

As one looks up towards its head, as it stands on its comparatively small hindlegs, the fact that its body seems to broaden from the waist upwards makes one question where its organs are to keep it alive with all of those bones sticking out of its torso-area. Long, thin arms that reach down to its knees weigh it down until it's forced to fall to a quadrupedal stance, where it look down to the other mysterious beings without harm to its neck. If humans of all ethnicities and physiques were to stand beside it, they'd soon discover its small legs are as big as a human of seven feet tall. Its bony, human-like hands are large enough to hold a grown man like a mere toy.

This creature, this eldritch being is named Paleblood by its associates for its connection to the moon when the moon becomes pale red, like the spilled blood of the fallen has become pale with fear. That's exactly what this creature can instill in those who don't know it for who it is. Shaking its head a little, it looks to the three before it and lets out an unintelligible gurgle of grunts, groans and growls of an animal about its size and appearance.

Beowulf answers as if speaking to monstrous creatures is normal, "Yes, we've heard of the turmoil spreading throughout the cosmos. Our Masters are getting bored and that means we've got to put more effort into entertaining them. Also, we're well aware of what has been said by Solar Moon, Andromeda and White King. Better get ready, right?" The other three nod before they walk in the general direction of Beowulf's domain...

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

That's a wrap ladies, gents an' other! I hope ya'll're enjoyin' as much as I am. This chapter's mostly to help Natsu potentially figure out what's bein' given to him. The flashback with the dragons gathered an' the blonde infant's important, remember it for later. When I brought Paleblood into this, it was a spurr'o the moment thing an' I don't know how much it'll impact the story, but we'll find out now won't we. If ya got questions, leave 'em in your reviews an' PMs.

No questions off the top'o my head, so always: thanks for bein' 'ere, R&R, no flamin' my ass, constructive criticism an' SEE YA-G'NIGHT!


	20. Fantasies aren't always so

Whaz up ladies, gents an' other! Not much to say so le-go!

 _Thoughts or emphasis_

'Paraphrasin'

"Normal speech"

" **Nonhuman speech** "

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Stepping into the guild, what appeared to be ghosts started floating out of the building, making Lucy squeal in surprise while Wendy backed up into a defensive stance. "Looks like Chico's stepped out of Magnolia again..." Erza says tiredly before Natsu spreads his wings of fire, absorbing the spirits and letting them pass on as smoke that dissipates almost instantaneously. "That should clear it up for now."

"At least until someone does something stupid..." Natsu groaned, slouching slightly with a look of unrest in his eyes.

"You're as chipper as ever, aren't you?" Gray quipped. There was a bit of a crowd near the bar, mostly the members of the guild who never left asking questions. The source of this small crowd? Laxus was back with his group of, so-called, 'bodyguards' called the Thunder God Tribe. Laxus didn't look that much different, just he didn't have his headlomes on. (Lacrima, not phones. They transmit audio instead'o visual stuff. They don't have phones, they've got lacrima, cut me some slack.)

One of the three 'bodyguards' was a slim man of average height with waist-length, light green hair. His bangs were brushed to one side, covering the majority of the right side of his face, as well as a pair of thin strands jutting out backwards from the sides of his head, both shaped like lightning bolts. His hair was gathered at the end and tied in a short ponytail. Freed's eyes are greenish blue; beneath the left one lies a small beauty mark. In addition, Freed possesses prominent eyelashes. His green Fairy Tail Mark was located on the back of his left hand. This was Freed Justine, founder/self-proclaimed leader of the Thunder God Tribe and biggest fanboy of Laxus anyone had ever met.

Another one of these three 'bodyguards' was a woman with fair skin, light brown hair and brown eyes. She wore oval glasses, nothing magical about them, with a look in her eyes that explained in full that she wasn't one to be pushed around. Her figure was one of a voluptuous model, a very large bosom and curvy hips making several men ogle her with hearts in their eyes. Keeping her hair up, it was fashioned into a ponytail towards the left side of her head with her bangs framing her face on the left while on the right her bangs curved upwards slightly in a way that made her look like a born adventurer. Garbed in a mottled gray and green dress with similarly colored arm-gloves. On the back of her dress were movable wings like that of a fairy. Her navy blue stockings were worn elegantly with white sandals, while in her hand was a feathered, purple fan with three hearts on it. This fine woman was Evergreen, and like her namesake, she had aged with grace and wisdom through the years. Upon the inner area of her bust on the right side was her green Fairy Tail stamp.

The last of these 'bodyguards' was a tall man of a mildly muscular build. His upper body was covered in a dark, mildly fitting cloth covered by vertical white stripes that extended up to cover his head as a tight hood. Only his hands and lower face were visible, the upper part of his face covered by a metal visor which came with eight small, elongated holes, with four in front of each of his eyes, giving him the capability to see but hiding his eyes from the sight of anyone else. Covering his arms were sleeves from the mildly fitting cloth, with the forearms of this tall man being covered by armbands that were green with red trimming. Covering his shoulders were large pads, a skull at the center of both of them, giving him a bit of an intimidating atmosphere. His waist was circled by a simple dark band, which held up a massive waistguard made of cloth, which came in four long, light-colored pieces, each adorned by a dark "X", reaching down below his knees. Under such a waistguard, he donned a pair of extremely baggy, loose dark pants, with each leg being adorned by a pair of lighter-colored belts crossing in an "X" formation. Such pants were tucked inside a pair of light, armored greaves. Floating around him were four wooden 'dolls', each of them adorned by the expression of an emotion. One was anger, another fear, the next was glee and the last one was sadness. This tall man, whose tongue was stuck out to reveal the black Fairy Tail stamp on it, was named Bickslow.

Strolling in with an atmosphere of boredom and exhaustion, Natsu passed the trio towards the request board without incident. " **Si mi persvek idol kiri kiarf loerchek ihk nomeno pazienra!** " Just as he reached the board, one of the floating, wooden dolls floated in front of his face which made Happy climb onto the salmon-headed male's head to swat at the thing to no avail. " **Bickslow,** " Said tall man garbed in dark cloth looked to the pyrovore curiously at his name being called. " **Dout grovisv tepohaic coanwor svern ihk svern vrrar klewkini. Relgr vi motzu, petranas.** " His words only made confusion arise, getting most of the guild to look to Lucy who was trying to steal the book from Wendy's hip only to find her hand swatted away by the Sky Dragon Slayer's own sharp-nailed hand.

Looking up all of a sudden, the three First Generation Dragon Slayers sent a weak attack towards a bright part of the ceiling where their enhanced sight made them squint at the lights. A louder noise emitted from the spot their attacks hit, making them grit their teeth irritably. Gajeel called up, " **CONFN VHIRA DE MOBI, FAESSI!** " Outright hysterical, brimming-on-maniacal, laughter was the response from the unknown creature.

"I thought," Said the creature, a masculine tone to its voice. "The First Gen of Dragon Slayers packed more punch during this age?! HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA! I GUESS SHE WAS WRONG, HUH?! MIR'S GONNA SPRAIN A LUNG!" The laughter continued before a sort of blood red mist or fog began to circle around the spot the spells had struck. "I'LL SEE SOME OF YOU SOON! HAHAHHAHAHAHAHHA!" And with that, the assumed man was gone from the guild without a scent left besides...an unsettling scent of-

" **Iejir?** " Gajeel, Wendy and Natsu said as one confusedly, looking to each other with faces portraying their concern.

 **With the blood-scented man, unknown location**

On the floor, rolling around with his arms holding his sides, he laughed his ass off and out the window. Sitting in a chair near him was an attractive woman with gorgeous, blue eyes and long hair. She stared at the man in front of her compassionately, a sweet, loving smile on her face as she chuckled, "They were weaker than you thought, huh? Hehehehehe! I'm not surprised that the ace of a powerful guild harboring 'illegal magic'-users would think that of a different guild holding younger Slayers."

He stopped laughing abruptly at the mention of illegal magic, his face now somber as he looked to the floor. "Why do we tolerate them? Why do we let them breath for what they've done to us? Why do you let me let them live, Mir?" Eyes of sunset-orange, they looked into the holy blues of his companion, sadness in his eyes as they reflected his past experiences. The now named Mir shook her head with a soft shrug, guilt obviously in her heart as she answered.

"I don't know, Ally," She said as his eyes seemed to darken while his shoulder-length, midnight black hair began to flail with a wind of energy from himself, anger in his eyes before it vanished with him punching a hole into his left pectoral with his right hand. Gasping in pain, he slowly removed his fist as the wound healed, blood seeming to seep and flood the opening to be replaced by what was destroyed a moment ago.

"That," Mir told the now identified Ally (Pronunciation time. Ally: /Al-ee/ Mir: /Meer/) as he sat there on his knees, soon joined by his companion who held him in a hug. "Isn't good for your health, you know that. Stop hurting yourself, Ally, or the baby will emulate you and kill herself. Do you want that?!" She asked this with his eyes meeting her own, a sigh leaving him as he saw her point.

"Ye-I mean, no! I mean no..." She nodded in understanding.

Sitting there in the middle of the room, Ally asked a strange question. "How have you tolerated me for this long, let alone have my child? Shouldn't you still be pissed I stole you away from your family or at least enraged I didn't save any of them?" She shook her head, a soft giggle in her voice.

"Although I should," She said calmly. "I forgave you and I understand that you weren't strong enough to stay aloft with more than one, since you could barely carry me."

"Bu-"

Shutting him up with a peck on the lips, she continued. "Why would I keep hating the man who gave me a beautiful daughter and let me keep my family's memory alive?" He grinned when the sound of an infant crying ended the moment, making Ally smile as he got up and strode towards a different room to bring back a grey haired infant with a single orange eye and an individual blue one. The infant's complexion was of what most would imagine an infantile vampire to have, her developing teeth poking through her gums as sharp fangs that were the only ones to occupy her mouth as all of its front teeth.

Ally grinned at his child, and began wiggling his finger in front of her face which made her start to suck on the finger before biting it slowly off. Without issue, Ally regenerated the finger, a proud smirk on his face before the child sneezed and allowed her reptilian tail to uncurl. Mir came to stand at his side, smiling at the little one she had birthed. "I wouldn't trade this for the world..."

 **Fairy Tail guild hall**

Wendy, still staring at the spot of the ceiling she'd released an attack at, looked to the salmon-headed firebreather curiously. _What goes through his head, I wonder?_

 _I need to take a request to get a lead, but I'm SO FUCKING HUNGRY!_ Natsu thought while looking at the request board.

Still looking, Wendy thought, _Probably his...'Mate'! I hope I meet this 'Lisanna' if he ever finds her..._ Her fists were clenched and her teeth were being ground against each other as her bangs hid her eyes from sight. (Ironically) The guildmates who didn't know her were avoiding her at all cost, a brave or stupid few who decided it was a good idea to talk to her were met by a primal growl and what could only be described as a draconic hiss that scared them off real quick. It was the sound of Natsu slamming a request on the bar and Gajeel sniffing around her that shook her out of her thoughts, a blush forming on her face at the presence of the male Dragon Slayer sniffing her. It was when the raven-haired, red eyed male's face got too close to her own, tomato-red face that she struck. " **SVANT DARASTRIX VRELVEL!** "

Air formed a talon around her hand as she punched him in the face, sending him flying towards the bar and into Natsu's ass, making the pyrovore lurch over bar and facefirst into Mirajane's large cleavage with shout of, " **THRICTHRICTHRICTHRICTHRIC-MMMMMMMMPPPPPPPPPPPHHHHHHHHHH!** " And Natsu was pulled out of Mirajane's chest, his face as red as his flames, and steam leaving his ears, mouth and nose along with blood coming out of his nostrils.

Mira of course was blushing up a storm as she fanned her brother-in-law with her hand, trying to calm him-and more importantly, herself-back down. Elfman ran to his older sister's rescue when everyone else start to try to hold him back which caused him to fling them into everybody else who was smart enough to avoid the carnage. As a riot started because a hormonal, maturing little girl felt uncomfortable, Natsu groaned out the words ' **Xsiol Suaci** '. The riot was quickly ended by Makarov turning into a giant and shouting to the guild, "STOP FIGHTING THIS INSTANT!" Almost everyone stopped except for a now even more scared Wendy who attacked him out of fearful instinct.

" **SVANT DARASTRIX VERBEN!** " The attack, although low in power, was aimed towards his legs which made him start spinning and picking up everything that had been destroyed in the scuffle. Everyone was screaming in terror of the tornado going through the building, with poor, little Wendy staying in the center with a look of embarrassment and discomfort on her face as she apologized profusely. " **Si mi zyak zyak zyak zyak bivai!** " She had waterfalls coming from her eyes as Carla stood beside her with a look of shock and embarrassment for the bluenette at her side.

"Honestly, child, you need to calm down." The white Exceed's words received a whimper of guilt, embarrassment and fear of rejection. From more than just the guild. _They probably don't want me now! I really screwed up this time! I bet they won't want me to talk to them anymore, especially Mister Dragneel..._ An image of an enraged Natsu was in her mind, his voice full of hatred and disgust.

'Who would want a spastic brat like you?! Besides, I prefer my women more developed unlike your flat chest and lack of an ass!' Her version of Natsu strode off, a supermodel at his side with her reaching for him, tears in her eyes with waterfalls coming down her cheeks as she was left in the cold without a warm arm around her.

In real life, everyone had gotten their shit back together and Makarov had come to see the quiet bluenette standing in the middle of the mess that was his guild, staring at the budding girl with kind eyes. "And who is this delightful creature?"

Natsu, waking up without looking at Mirajane, said with a groan as he was forced to stay laying down on Mira's lap, "She's Wendy Marvell, the daughter of the Sky Dragon Grandeeney, Sky Sorceress and most adorable bitch I think I've ever met who can kick a fullgrown mage's ass! Ugh!" He fell back with a shudder as his eyes started to close, making Mirajane start slapping his face with no reaction.

"Drastic measures must be taken!" She grabbed two frying pans, pulling up Natsu's shirt before rubbing the backs of the two pans together with a serious face. "CLEAR!" That was followed by Natsu's face being struck by the two pans consecutively by the Demon Takeover mage, getting him to rise like a vampire with a face of fear before the back of his skull was struck, knocking him out. "NO, DON'T DIE!" She proceeded to keep beating him with the pans, making everyone wince and whimper in pain for the poor Dragon Slayer. "DON'T DIE, NATSU!"

"YOU'RE THE ONE KILLING HIM!" Was the unanimous shout of all the guildmembers who knew Natsu personally, especially poor, little Wendy. Said bluenette came to behind the bar and tried to stop the unknown-if-unintentionally murderous beauty from murdering her senior Slayer with little success.

" **Wux re sventir jacion, Kothar-Usjalil!** " Wendy was holding onto the Fairy Tail Demon's arm, trying to save the pinkette's life, the faces of everyone else being of confusion before looking to a longingly-looking-at-her-book Lucy who whimpered. Mirajane, still abusing Natsu, was literally jerking poor little Wendy around like she was nothing, showing off her demonic strength that had obviously been retained. This went on for a while until a beaten and bruised Natsu ran away from Mirajane and gasped for life, hiding behind Erza defensively before pushing her towards the postergirl.

Bowing after moving Erza in front of her rival, "Take this offering in exchange for my own life, Great and Powerful Demon-Lady! **SI MI EKIK!** " Running to the request board, he took the first job request he saw, ran to the counter and burnt a page of the book that they used to regulate missions, then ran right out of the guild with Happy flying right behind him with everyone except for the other Dragon Slayers not understanding what he yelled to all of them. " **ZHAAN DASK SOMATIK!** "

"BYE AUNT DEMIRA!" Happy yelled back, making the white haired beauty start whining.

"I'm too young to be an aunt..." Her whines were met with Wendy sweatdropping before being tossed into the bar, making her hold her face with tears of pain in her eyes. "Oh, I'm sorry..." She looked to Wendy with a face that said 'I want to say I'm sorry but I don't know who the fuck you are'. "You...you...you cute, little girl..." A smile was all that Mira could give to the young Slayer as consolation for hurting her.

 **With Natsu and Happy, outside Magnolia**

"Patsu," Asked Natsu's son. "Do you think Miss Wendy and Miss Carla will get along with everyone?" Natsu snerked with a cheeky grin.

"Of course they will! Wendy's polite as long as she isn't provoked and Carla's there to keep her in line if she oversteps her mark. They'll be fine" He grinned assuredly as he tried and failed to read the job request.

 **Back in the guild**

Of course, Wendy took umbridge to that. " **Svant Darastrix...VERBEN!** " She inhaled deeply, her stomach and chest inflating for a second before she lunged her head towards the Demon of Fairy Tail, releasing a tornado at the white haired postergirl.

"NOT AGAIN!" Was the whole guild's scream of pleading. Mirajane, eyes wide at the attack coming at her from point blank range, was about to stand up and transform when-CHINK!

Stopping the whirlwind Wendy had exhaled stood a man in a cowl mad of what could only be called something akin to what bat fur was made of. He stood at about six feet tall and was of a thin frame, his attire of an ancient knight's armor made from a leather-like material, and his limbs obviously muscular enough to be healthy but not enough to compete with anyone in the guild. Hanging behind him from his shoulders was a blood-red sash, its color looking all too natural if that made any sense to anyone who hadn't seen it. On his chest, over his heart, was a crest in the shape of a strange flower growing from a stem into a matured blossom with its petals closed as if in the clutches of winter or in the dark of the knight. On his mostly hidden face was a tattoo of a winged cat dawning a cobra-hood-shaped head ornament with house around it, its color that of a brightly-shining, pale moon bathed in blood on his oddly-pale-yet-sunkissed-skin. Standing in front of the whirlwind, his arms were held up in an 'x'-shape before he dispersed the gale by slicing his arms through the tornado, a sadistic grin on his face as he said darkly, "The devil is mine to kill, not yours!"

He then vanished, a mist of blood-colored fog swirling around him before dispersing, leaving everyone confused again until Mirajane smiled at Wendy kindly. "Stalkers aside, are you here to join Fairy Tail?" Wendy, still confused from the blood-scented man, nodded blankly before she heard Fairy Tail's postergirl ask her, "Where do you want the mark?" Looking to the white haired beauty, the blunette saw the stamp in her hand.

"..." An image of Natsu's stamp being on his right shoulder flashed before her eyes and the sight of Gajeel's mark being on his left shoulder as he passed her, made her decision obvious. Pointing at the center of her chest, over her heart and between her developing breasts, she said with a blush, " **Zyak si shilta nakta nomeno hertan trelkilt ekess sia kornari loupon sia annyo ir...** "

Gajeel, eating broken silverware, suddenly started coughing and choking before Levi weakly using the Heimlich maneuver to get him to cough up what he had stuck in his throat. After a few failed tries, she finally got him to cough out a knife that had been curled up into a ball, making her sigh in relief while the Iron Dragon Slayer gasped for breath and asked incredulously, " **SVABOL?! YTH ITREWICA VI RISEILUP IR?! RHYVOS VOBIT!** " His words made Wendy blush even more before she growled at him with a look that carried with it the daggers of Hell, making the raven haired male stare in surprise before he started chuckling into hysterical laughter that ended with a growl that lead to a roar, making everyone cover their ears until Makarov flattened Gajeel with an enlarged fist.

"English, please!" Mirajane said confusedly, making Levi pipe up.

"She," The bookworm said in exasperation, staring at Gajeel with a face of resignation at his loud personality. "Pointed towards her heart so you can put the stamp there, saying she wants it there so she can keep this guild closer to her heart than her previous one, right?" Wendy nodded, eyes wide at the accuracy with which Levi had explained what her words had meant. "Gajeel taught me how to understand Draconic, but not how to speak it." She said this irritably as she turned her gaze back to the bastard who had taught her.

"Okay then, that makes more sense!" Mira said calmly as she took aim and hit Wendy in the center of her chest with the stamp, magic coursing through it and making the small blunette wince in pain as her consciousness left her on the floor.

 **Wendy's 'dream'**

(Cue: Tailor Swift ft. The Civil Wars-Safe and Sound/Pentatonix-Cheerleader) Looking to my side I saw Sally talking to First. He always hated the nickname 'Sally', saying it made him sound 'like a whimp or a hooker'. A tug on my arm brought me out of my thoughts to see Erza, the daughter of the Sphinx Refuge guildmaster, and Sherria Blendy, Sherry's younger cousin and Lamia Scale's Sky God Slayer. "What is it I can do for you, girls?" I said, my clothes like that of what I'd been told an adorable neighbor's daughter would look like, as my vow prevented me from...being anyone but the girl those who remained had known.

Sphinx Refuge had become public the same time Dragon Arc had been founded and our influence in the creation of earlier mentioned guild made ours, in a sense, their sister guild. The master of Sphinx Refuge was a wonderful woman and a close friend to Erza Scarlet, one of the few who had remained, and her death struck hard. In honor to the Scarlet Knight's memory, Erza was chosen as her name and she'd just about become the embodiment of all that the Scarlet Knight had stood for.

Erza hid behind Sherria like always, a look of caution and polite nervousness that I had been told was what I looked like sometimes, her cat ears folded back in nervous adoration as she shuffled in place and fidgeted her fingers. All I could do was smile kindly at the nervous four year-old. "You don't need to be shy, dear child. Come now, what's on your mind?" I would come to regret that question.

"Are you and Uncle Sally dating yet?" She burst out quietly, catching the attention of Sally and First, their Draconic hearing like my own being heightened enough to hear the quiet outburst. First seemed to turn into a statue of sorts and slid away from Sally who strode over to my side to kneel in front of the two girls, pulling his hood off of his head so we could see his handsome face. His face wasn't as soft as it once was, a scar in the form of a slash from a claw on his left cheek and a few scales were growing around his eyes, giving him an intimidating look with an appeal only a Dragon or a Dragon Slayer, like myself, could appreciate. Pink locks spilled out, their reach now at his upper back in a tame manner no one would expect from him.

"Could you repeat the question, Little Erza?" As if out of instinct, Erza hid more behind Sherria with a blush that made her look like a tomato. Sally went to look behind Sherria if not for my intervention in the form of me slapping him in the back of the head, my face as red as Erza's.

"Don't patronize her! You know what she said, Sally!" I smirked as I said the last part, my blush dying down as the salmon-haired mage growled menacingly at me before releasing a plume of fire towards me, making me grin like the cheeky bitch I was and just stand there with a haughty air to me as the fire was met with a barrier of energy that was due to my eternal form as my younger self. Because my body was compressed and condensed into a smaller form, the energy that my body became had acted as a sort of forcefield that was damn-near impenetrable.

He then roared at me in anger, making me grin and roar in challenge which was met with a fist to my heart-or more accurately-the scar from the stamp of those who remained's guild. First, glaring at us as we prepared for a 'quick' spat between what-I-wished-we-weren't-just-friends, nodded to Jet who vanished from sight t appear in between us and give both of us a powerful high kick to our jaws. "Knock it off, you two! We get it, you're cooped up, bored and in need of release, but you can't keep fighting like this! _Especially_ not in the guild after what you two did to it last time!" First's words made Sally and I look to the ground in guilt, our slitted eyes full of shame for being so predictable and destructive.

It was true, the guild hadn't gotten any requests recently, and we were going batshit with boredom and need for something to do. "Also," Erza began, making us look to her curiously which lead to her hiding back behind Sherria, "Where do babies come from?" And like that, the whole guild went quiet with awkward anticipation for what we would say. I looked to First and Jet as they vanished, making me turn to Sally who pulled up his hood and leaped to the second floor before climbing into the rafters where getting him down could be considered and S-Class quest in and of itself, leaving me to deal with the two girls, a bigger blush from before now on my face.

"Um," I muttered, licking my now dry lips as I tried to find a way out of this or think of a lie they would believe. "Uh, girls...That's not something you just ask a person out of the blue or in public, hehehehehe!" Looking to poor Sherria, I saw she was uncomfortable with the change of topic too, worse so than myself and the others.

"Well," Erza said now with more confidence, "Why?"

" _Ummm!_ "

"Is it something that only grown-ups know so we don't mess it up or break it?"

" _UMM!_ " I was sweating my few scales and feathers out, trying to find a believable answer as I was obviously not going to be let off the hook.

"Is it a magic spells that only grown-ups can do because they're stronger than children?"

" ** _UMMMMM!_** " Everyone else in the guild was looking at me with pity, my eyes watering with embarrassment. I was technically only sixteen-seventeen since Sally's giving me Racer's magic had aged me-and here I was, being asked by a little girl where babies came from. My response was obviously not one the little cat-eared child liked, as she came out from behind Sherria and hugged me with big kitten eyes.

" _Pwease_ tell me, Aunt Windy!" And like that, my salvation was nigh!

" **SALLY, YOU BASTARD! I'LL KILL YOU FOR TEACHING THEM THAT!** " Air swirled around my legs, giving me lift and stopping the pleading child from holding me any longer, as I took towards the rafters to kick Sally's ass for teaching the children to call me 'Windy'. I found him with ease, hanging from the ceiling by his clawed boots like a bat would from its feet. " **S** **vant darastrix austratir marfedelom!** " Grabbing him as he started to hover down to the floor, I turned us upside down and let my soul form around us like a vapor cone on a fast moving object through the sky, smashing Sally's head through the floor and somersaulting away to jump and flip onto a tabletop with a landing of my soul surrounding me as a suit while I made an 'aiming a gun' pose.

Second came out of the office to find his adviser with his head in the floor and me with my soul around me like a suit, making him groan as he rubbed his temples. " **Jalla si tangis tor?** " He asked exasperatedly, making me grin cheekily as my soul demanifested. It was a word Sally had made a while back and I thankfully didn't question it because it made sense.

" **Thric,** " I looked away from Second to stare menacingly at Sally. " **ZHAAN DASK SOMATI!** " And he did! He took off running before lifting off the ground with me counting down on my fingers until I reached four from five and took off after his firm ass.

 **Scene change**

Looking over to Natsu, I saw his empty eyes staring into nothing as he slouched over the table, his soul permanently fixed yet eternally broken and his heart shattered. He had been so strong back in Edolas and even stronger at Tenrou, but all of that strength was gone in place of guilt, self-loathing and an emptiness I wanted to fill. Walking over to him, my legs feeling awkward as I hadn't broken my vow, I placed a hand on his head and stroked his hair as I leaned my head on his shoulders, not even a twitch of the nose or a tense of the muscles as a reaction.

"Why do I keep going on anymore?" He mumbled, barely audibly, my ears nearly missing it even though I was right beside him. "I've nothing left to keep me warm in these now frigid days, nothing to reflect the sun in the night as it blinds me, and no one to hear me scream..." Those words. _Those fucking, empty-hearted, lifeless, dead-minded words!_

Pulling away from him, I glared at him with tears brimming at my eyes, as I cocked my fist and hit him right across the face. No reaction. I went ahead of myself and began to strike him everywhere, _even the dick_ , with no fucking reaction whatsoever! Getting fed up, I pulled back my head and a growl grew in my throat. I didn't catch it immediately since my rage was overpowering my rational thought, but Natsu did and his eyes widened slightly as I lunged my head forward and roared a primal sound I'd only heard my mother make.

From my lungs and stomach flew fresh air in a tornado of anger, heartbreak and ended dreams that sent a now bewildered Natsu-and several others of our guildmates-flying into a wall where they remained with wide eyes. Panting, I glared at Natsu with everything I had while shouting out as tears fell from my face, "YOU'RE NOT ALONE, NATSU! WE'RE WITH YOU EVERY FUCKING STEP OF THE WAY! JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE GONE SND WE SURVIVED DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO ABANDON IT ALL! DON'T YOU DARE GIVE OUT ON ANY OF US! WE CAN AT THE VERY LEAST FILL THE SPACES THEY LEFT TO MAKE IT EASIER!" Making a move to run out of the building, I felt a strong arm on my shoulder holding me back before bringing me into the powerful arms of Natsu as he hugged me proudly.

" **Wux tepohada dout irral vebren...S** **i mi zyak saeuth ekess vucot dout krehlic re ti hefoc sini!** " Natsu said this into my hair and ear, his warm breath making me shiver excitedly. " **C** **oi ui ti batobot si mi majakir svern shafaer tobor ekik di iteshk, Suaci, coi ui batobot si mi majakir svern shafaer tobor ekik di self dartakir batobot si mi ti kiwiegir iteshk vur batobot ui sia dril ihk iteshk...** " All I could do was blush at the praise before I punched him in the stomach, glaring at him with my blush now full of anger as well as embarrassment.

" **Sjek,** " I said aggressively. " **Svabol** **wux yenta ui vis hak tir ti rinov yenta wux majak svern shafaer tobor!** " He nodded in understanding as my glare slowly let up after a few minutes of standing and staring at each, which I wouldn't have minded a little more of to be completely honest.

 **Scene change**

(Cue: Maroon 5-My Lucky Strike/Myah Marie-Battery) My silver aura glowing around me, I pressed by brow against Mirajane's with a glare and a dangerous grin on my face as she reciprocated. Her aura was regal purple and her hair was shorter than I remembered, although that was probably due to it having been a few years since I had last seen her. "So," I said testily. "How you been, Mira?!"

"Oh, you know, a decent way to the right!" Our eyes were locked before the voice of a child reached our ears and made her turn to the child in the male's arms. Pulling away from my headbutt, an action that lead me to fall on my face, she went to the male garbed in red's side and took the child in her own arms. "And better than you, since you're obviously still chasing a lost cause whose heart's already taken."

Because he was a nosy bastard, Sally asked me confusedly with a brotherly look in his eyes, "What?" The only answer I gave him was a glare that looked like it belonged to a monster, getting him to glare as well as let his aura become visible as a darkened, fiery red that contrasted with my heavenly silver. Raising a respective fist, we hit each other in the stomach and grunted before our faces were graced with maniacal grins as we leaped to the second floor and prepared our respective attacks.

" **Quawysvern Darastrix Vrelvel!** " I called out as I lunged across the gap that was between the railings of the second floor's sides.

" **Ixen Darastrix Valignatir Thran!** " Sally lunged as well, his knees alight with fire as he rocketed at me.

Even though our two guilds weren't related like Sphinx Refuge and Dragon Arc, Fairy Tail was stuck in the same inn as us which made things a little bit difficult when a dwarven titan still thought he was in charge. And that was made embarrassingly apparent when Makarov enlarged his fists and smashed us into the inn floor, creating two holes that we emerged from mostly unharmed with looks of irritation that the Guildmaster of our-technically Second, First, and my-former guild. "Knock it off, you brats!" Makarov said like he had authority.

Down the stares strode the newly appointed Fifth of Dragon Arc, a scowl on his face as he strode in front of the dwarven titan and lowered himself to get in Makarov's face as a venomous black and red aura surrounded him in a threatening manner. "Don't," He growled out, his voice becoming feral as his aura was opposed by the holy white of the elder Dreyar. " ** _Ever_ hurt my guildmates, asshole!** " Still snarling, his fangs bared, Fifth strode off to his mate with a scowl still present on his face while Makarov sort of stewed in anger at the aggression his descendant guild's master was showing him.

"I hope you realize," Makarov began, making his grandson sigh pityingly in the background. "Your guild's origin and superior. Show some respect!" That made most of Dragon Arc tense, those of us knowing nothing but this guild becoming aggressive in nature as they let their energy flood the building which made most of the Fairy Tail mages that weren't S-Class falter and caused infants in the building to start crying in pain until Mira allowed her power to counter ours which made most of the infants stop screaming.

Scowling, Mirajane said dangerously out of a mother's instinct, nursing her child with a blanket covering her breast, "Enough childish antics. I came from my guild to see my friends, but it seems I shouldn't have bothered..." The eyes of many of the mages in the building had wide eyes in shock at her tone of disapproval while others just had sour looks of pride and or indifferent sideways stares. Looking to the male in red who had held her child, a familiar voice asked her a simple question that held a lot of meaning to the rest of us.

"Shall we depart?" Said the male, his left hand in a clawed gauntlet glowing and raised as a portal of swirling red energy formed. He had a look of indifference on his face, but I could tell he wasn't pleased with what was going on.

Before she could answer or take a step towards the portal, Lisanna piped up fearfully, agony in her eyes from pain only Sally could have sympathized with when he was still... "Don't leave! Please..." She had ended on an awkward, nervous tone of voice which made her older sister look to her from the corner of her eye before she turned around with a kind smile on her face.

"At least I'm not pretending to be a bitch anymore, phew, I didn't think I would last that long!" The male in red snorted with a soft smile on his face as he chuckled somewhat deeply, his chuckles becoming full-blown laughter as he held his sides.

"Bullshit! You know it was easy for you since you were called 'The Demon' for years." He was laughing his ass off by the time Mirajane chopped him in the back of the head, flooring him and making him groan. "Love you too, Mira...nnn, damn..."

Ignoring her companion, she looked to all of the faces of her former guildmates and her friends-in essence her family-and finished by looking at Sally and myself. Coming in front of me, she leaned down to whisper, "I know you're loyal to your vow, but there's nothing to stop you from being the woman you are today..." She stepped back a bit, making me look to the ground.

Muttering to myself, I said, "But I don't know who that is?" She only smiled and moved her hand to between my C-cup breasts, making my guildstamp glow brightly along with hers, the light blinding most of my guildmates and friends. All I could think was, _Just like the day I joined Fairy Tail..._ (Uncue music)

 **Waking world, Fairy Tail guildhall**

With a gasp, Wendy awoke and sat up, touching the ground around her for a moment until she darted her hands to her neck and wrist, looking for a pulse until she found it and sighed in relief. A giggle made her rise to her feet with a talon of air surrounding her hand as she turned to find Mira smiling at her. "You sleep so cute!" She had her hands together near her face as a way of expressing her opinion of how cute the Sky Dragon Slayer was. Although Wendy didn't notice, the book she had nabbed from Lucy was missing suspiciously.

Blushing furiously, Wendy swung her air-talon-covered arm at Mira and struck the postergirl without fail. As if a picture in a book, everything seemed to become a painting on a page of a memoir or a diary before the cover closed.

 **Unknown location**

Holding the book is a female being of a generous figure and a headdress of feathers and scales in the form of a snake, or, more accurately, a dragon. In front of her sits younger beings, all of them familiar yet foreign to anyone watching. She smiles to them, their faces full of wonder and anticipation. "What happens next?" One of them asks excitedly, her eyes full of desperation to know what transpires next. The female holding the book smiles cheekily, shaking her head as she puts the book on her hip to rest.

"You'll find out later, child. Until then, I'd say it's time for rest. Wouldn't you agree, Solar Moon?" Her words are full of friendly aggression, implying they are rivals in some regard. Out of the emptiness strides a female garbed in all white with a broach or pendent in the form of a blazing sun holding her cowl to the rest of her attire. She smiles playfully at the headdressed female for her tone of voice before she nodded to her question and ushered the younger beings away, with one resisting more than the others.

"Do I have to," Asked a young female wearing something similar to the named Solar Moon, minus the pendant and plus belles in her hair. "Mommy?"

Solar Moon smiles kindly, her face hidden but her sharp, pearly white teeth glint are not as they glint in the nonexistent/surrounding light of the Ether they reside in. "Yes, my darling. You must rest to become stronger, or you will never become the greatest you can be." Pecking her daughter on her brow, she returns to the headdressed female's side to chat with her while the younger female garbed in white strides to wherever she decides to rest. "How have you been," She asks in a friendly manner. "Quetzalcoatl?"

"I'm fine, but I hear your sister and brother-in-law aren't faring so well..." They stare into the Ether, their eyes revealing nothing. "Have you heard what your he's done? He's finally fucked up, big-time. Also, he says he's found a new show to preoccupy him in his freetime and Chronos' mother has returned with your brother-in-law."

Solar Moon suddenly grips the now name Quetzalcoatl's shoulders aggressively, "When?!"

Calmly removing Solar Moon's hands, the headdrssed female answers simply, "Not long ago, or maybe it was. You can never tell here, huh?"

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

That's a wrap ladies, gents an' other! There ya go, we're movin' forward in the story. It took a while, but absence makes the heart grow fonder. As we've just seen, not only Natsu has visions'o the future. Wendy's had some too. Her callin' others First, Second an' such refers to the place on the timeline'o Dragon Arc's Guildmasters. Mira had a child?! Oooooh, what could happen next, I wonder? *Snerk* Ya'll're gonna have to stay in the blindin' light for now while those of us in the dark progress farther than ya'll can comprehend! Awight, whatever the fuck that was outta the way, lemme answer questions if possible...

Natsu left. Makes sense. If it doesn't to ya'll, ya haven't been payin' attention! Our favorite pyrovore's in agony 'cause his mate's not with him an' he's searchin' for her to make the pain stop. Although he doesn't know it, the pain's 'cause they're kinda...'worlds apart', as the sayin' goes. Wendy's decision to attack Mirajane's 'cause she's nervous, embarrassed an' 'fraid she's gonna lose this guild like her last one, which's why she's chosen to keep this one closer to her heart, as cheesy as that sounds.

In Wendy's vision, we saw someone named Erza, but not the slam-Natsu's-skull-into-a-breastplate Erza. Oh no, this's a child, a child with fuckin' cat ears on her head. Who else in this story's got natural cat ears? Like most'o the mages who used to be a part'o Fairy Tail an' then became Dragon Arc, Wendy made a vow. Her vow's kinda obvious, an' it's not really a spoiler if I tell ya'll what hers is...but I ain't gonna tell ya'll 'cause I'm a bastard like that!

Not a whole lotta questions I can think of, so as always: R&R, thanks for bein' 'ere, no flamin' my ass (It hurts), constructive criticism, an' SEE YA-G'NIGHT!


	21. Do monsters deserve a second chance?

Whaz up ladies, gents an' other! I've been makin' a pattern that I for one think's doin' pretty well, so I'mma keep usin' it 'til I don't need to anymore. By that time, ya'll'll be even more wrapped up in this story than 'fore if ya're actually interested in it. If I haven't mentioned this than I will: when I use the words 'First, Second, etc.', I'm referrin' to the order of guildmasters as their place in the history of the guild. Let's see what's goin' on after little Wendy's entrance into the guild, shall we?! Le'go!

 _Thoughts or emphasis_

'Paraphrasin'

"Normal speech"

" **Nonhuman speech** "

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

(Cue: Breaking Benjamin-Without You/Nickelback-Far Away/Hinder-Lips of an Angel/3 Doors Down-Here Without You/Daughtry-What About Now/Nickelback-Never Gonna Be Alone) Like any other day in our guild, I was working. Unlike any other day in our guild, I wasn't repairing damages to our guild. I was outside, looking for a good spot to start making our tribute to those who remained with my shed scales. Placing down a few of my shed scales on the ground, I arranged them in a certain manner to make it easier to build upon. With that done, I stepped back to let everyone start the execution of our tribute.

The first to start building was Macao, Wakaba and Romeo. Smoke, purple flare and rainbow-colored fire began to envelope my shed scales, melting them down a bit to make the foundation. Next came Mickey, Joey, Wan, Kinana, Laki, Chico=C=Hammit, Droy, Jet, Bora and Wanda. Laki placed her hands on the ground and whispered just loud enough for animalistic beings to hear, "Wood-Make...," She sobbed slightly, shaking her head as if she didn't want to say the last word, making Droy place a hand on her shoulder as he threw out a few seeds that created magic circles around themselves, colored both green and brown. Closing her eyes, Laki uttered out the last word, "Memorial!" From the ground between my melting scales came up wooden, humanoid statuesques. The seeds Droy had thrown grew into vines that covered the statuesques in a manner like clothes.

After their turns came Wan, Joey and Mickey. Joey, whispering a few incantations, made a now iron-dog-armed-Wan and a few civilians more muscular as they all went and got the large stones we had decided to use. Mickey, seeing a few of the large stone-getters, summoned a large bird to help them carry it to the spots the statuesques and my melting scales hadn't touched yet.

Jet, Kinana, Wanda, Nab, Vijeetor, Max and Bora were the next ones to go. Wanda, letting her black sand turn into weapons, began slicing the large stones into specific shapes that Bora carried to certain areas with his Soul Chains. Once the slabs and shapes were in place, Kinana breathed out a purple and black haze near the bases of a few statuesques as the roots of the wood began to weaken enough for a few of us to move them to certain areas. Jet was one of the people moving the statuesques about, keeping his pace slower than he normally would out of respect but being faster than everyone else so as to make sure none of the statuesques were missed.

Vijeeter was dancing to give some of us more energy while also carrying the statuesques to their place. Nab had transformed his arms and legs into those of a bear, giving him more strength than normal while Max sanded down the stones so they were ready while also sanding away anything underneath the statuesques that Kinana's haze hadn't weakened to break-off-ability.

Second to last was First, myself, Wendy, Chico and Salamander. Salamander, swooping down from the air, breathed a light flame down on the statuesques, stone and melting metal scales to make sure everything was as it should be. The fire wasn't dark like it was normally anymore, it was light and comforting. The materials started to melt and burn into place, making me transform my arm into a mace and slam it into the ground for it to appear at the center of the tribute to those who had remained. Wendy, floating of her own ability, and First, staying aloft with his Lightning Body, sent a concentrated whirlwind and lightning bolt into the center of my mace-ended arm with First feeling the pain with Organic Link until I shed my mace and retracted my limb, letting them hollow-out my shed Iron Dragon's Mace.

From the hollowed-out, shed spell spewed forth water from a geyser we had discovered underneath the guild. Almost finished, Chico finished up the tribute as she extended her arms and closed her watering eyes, reaching out to where the few who remained had remained a year ago. Souls of the deceased gathered around Chico before she directed them towards the now melting metal as the spirits entered it and began to make it rise into vaguely humanoid and feline forms, tears leaving her eyes as First came to her side and held her close. To add insult to injury, a few of the souls came up to us like it was just another day and they were just going for a quick walk, their original forms becoming visible to all of us. My teammates and I saw our former leader as well as my flying feline companion, her short hair held back by a hairband and her attire like that of the day I met her when I fought Sal for the first time. Reaching out to brush aside a lock of her hair, I passed right through her, making her look to me sweetly like it was just another day. The human-sized feline nodded to me like a soldier, saluting to me as he and our former leader walked into their statuesque counterparts.

To Wakaba, Macao, and Romeo came the Ace's daughter and the Ace's ghost himself, kneeling to hug Romeo who could only reach out to hold her only to find she could touch him but not the other way around while the Ace only nodded with a kind smile. As the ghosts left them to enter their statuesques, Romeo reached out only for his father to halt him in his effort with a hand on the crying boy's shoulder. To First and Chico was a short ghost, his face that of a grandfather feeling proud in his family, as well as a trio of ghosts with four floating dolls who smiled admiringly at First before they then strode into the statuesques without hesitation. To Salamander, Kinana, Wendy, Wanda and Bora came the spirits of the key-user, Devil Slayer, knightress, the floating felines, the rain mage and-although I was the only one to notice-only two of the Takeover Siblings before they left into their statuesques. Standing in front of everyone was the ghost of a man who had thought himself a servant of the gods-forsaken Magic Council, when he was really one of us before death.

Just to name a few were these spirits visible to our guild. After they all entered the tribute, the metal, stone, wood and vines fused into one statue. In front of this tribute stood Warren, Bisca and Alzack. "We build this in honor of the few who remained on Tenrou Island to protect everything the island stood for..." Images of the results of what happened to Tenrou flashed before my eyes, the faces of faith the few who remained had worn like there was nothing to it and that like everything else they would survive. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I grit my teeth, self-loathing in my being as I resisted the urge to sob in the middle of this moving speech. "They were proud, they were stubborn, but above all they were family and they will never be forgotten by those they've touched. Joining us is Sphinx Refuge, our sister guild and ally guild of the few who remained." Through the gate strode the Guildmaster of Sphinx Refuge, her daughter, her husband and the members of her guild who could attend.

"When we hear the name Fairy Tail, we're struck with a feeling of intrigue and a strange sensation of butterflies in our stomachs. It was their strength and determination to stand when the rest had fell that lead them to reach the heights they did." Tears left Warren's eyes, his voice choking from being strained to this extent compared to the norm. "And though many will forget who they were, we who have survived and live with them in our hearts will never lose sight of who we depended on in our darkest times for inspiration," A gunshot left the two gun-slinging mages' weapons, their faces somber but not letting tears escape their eyes. "Trust," Another gunshot left them. "Determination," Another resounded. "Loyalty," And another. "And most of all, the willingness to let nothing stand in the way of living life to its extent. With heavy hearts, we carve their names into the stone, metal and plants we dedicate to them in memory of all they've accomplished. Their guild's name, Fairy Tail, was chosen in dedication to their first Guildmaster and her search to discover whether fairies do indeed have tails. And," He bit his bottom lip, taking a shaky breath before continuing, "now we can say for sure, they don't for if they did, we would have gathered every fairy's tail to bring them back..." And one, last shot left the firearms, their wielders letting their tears stream down their cheeks.

First, letting go of Chico's hand, came to the smoothest surface of the tribute, the First Guildmaster of Dragon Arc kneeling to let electricity course through his fingertips to carve in the names of his grandfather, bodyguards, the Ace, the Ace's daughter and the would-be spy before standing and walking to the side. Next was Salamander and Wendy, their hands becoming claws as elemental energy formed talons around their hands as they carved in the names of their family, biological or not, and their closest lost friends. Finally, it was my turn to carve in names. Turning my hand into an iron-scaled talon, I carved in the names of my feline companion and my blue-haired bookworm of a friend. It was now that the air began to dampen as the clouds rolled over the sun and began to thunder away with no rain. It was then that I caught sight of-what I had assumed was a trick of my mind-a woman with long locks and blue eyes staring at the tribute sadly as a man held her in his arms compassionately, before a civilian moved in front of the two and they were gone as the civilian moved again.

A baby began to cry, making me turn to see Wanda holding her infant son with Bora at her side as she lifted up a cloth over her breast to begin nursing the boy when a mew made me look to see Chu come out of hiding in First's jacket to begin whistling the tune Chico had taught her. (Uncue music. Cue: Dragon Age Inquisition-The Dawn Will Come) Salamander, quietly at first began to sing, making everyone look to him in shock as he turned his head to the sky with his eyes closed, tears leaving him as they rolled off his cheeks. "Shadows fall and hope has fled. Steel your heart, the dawn will come. The night is long and the path is dark. Look to the sky, for one day soon the dawn will come. The shepherd's lost and his home is far. Keep to the stars, the dawn will come. Bare your blade, and raise it high. Stand your ground, the dawn will come. **W** **er thurkear ui drong vur wer donoap ui whedab. Vorq ekess wer svant, ihk ir kear leirith wer dian geou confn.** "

He continued in Draconic, soon being joined by Wendy and Kinana. First came next, singing in English with all who didn't understand the dragon language. Sphinx Refuge joined us, the civilians too, as I soonafter followed with my deep voice reaching lower pitches than most could attain without my desire to showboat my voice breaking glass. The mages of Sphinx Refuge came around to the back of the tribute, joining hands with ours until we were a large circle surrounding the circular steps to a geyser vent. At the bottom were the partners of the actual S-Class competitors in a circle in different poses fitting of the once-living counterpart. The second level were the competitors, each of them brandishing a spell they were proficient in, all of them seeming too real to be made of stone, plant, and metal, some even looking like they weren't touching the base. And at the top were the S-Class mages, publicly known or otherwise, standing there like proud guardians over those below them and around their tribute.

Finally, when the song was finished, the Slayers released their breath spell as strong as possible at the spout of the geyser which lifted up our power into a dome around the grounds of the guild, facilitating our safety as we saw and felt the love the few who remained had for us. I sighed heavily, my feeling of a burden lightened but also weighing down on me more. Coming up to me was First, Chico at his side and Chu on his shoulder adorably. "It's only going to get better, Gajeel. You have to remember that!" First said consolingly, his hand on my shoulder as the yellow Exceed cub padded over his arm and onto my shoulders to speak her first words.

"Uncle Gajeel-Pika." She said this so easily as if she were destined to, making me smile and nod as she rubbed against my brow before being returned to her adoptive mother and father. I could only smile somewhat sadly now before we all went our separate ways as the sky began to rain down its tears on us...(Uncue music)

 **Scene change**

(Cue: Jason Derulo-Don't Wanna Go Home) A blonde boy was throwing everything he had at Salamander, said salmon-headed Guildmaster was just _barely_ using much power to put the bastard in his place. Salamander was still depressed even though he had given up his memories to stop the emotional suffering he was living through, so he wasn't easy to rile up but this boy was about to piss him off. "TAKE ME SERIOUSLY, BASTARD!" The boy then flipped and sent his foot flying for Salamander's head before he blocked the attack with just the back of his hand before lightly throwing the boy back a fair distance.

"Nope." The boy launched himself at Salamander with a glowing fist that my current Guildmaster only grabbed, twisted quickly and tossed back to me which made me dodge the soaring child. He landed with a crash that was followed by a shriek of pain from the cub he'd landed on.

Getting up, the boy said with tears in his eyes full of pain, "If you take me seriously and beat me, _I'll join your guild!_ " And like that, Salamander was pissed and ready to make a fucking point. Making the first move, Salamander moved from his place underneath the tree in the park and was in front of the boy with a look that could kill and it made the boy look about ready to cry in terror.

"Don't," He said menacingly, making the boy and his red Exceed cub back up in utter fear as the fiery red aura became dark. "You _ever_ try to use my guild as a reason for me to kick your ass! If you want to join my guild, that's your business, but don't make me the fucking reason! GOT IT?!" With that, Salamander grabbed the boy and flung him into the tree, knocking the little tyke out like a light. With a look to me, he said sternly, "Let's go..." I followed after him silently, my heavy feet leaving deep footprints in the dirt as my steps made little to no noise.

"Already late for the Guildmaster's meeting, might as well get there quicker, right?" I asked calmly, smiling as I noticed Salamander nod. Without another word, he took to the air while I just stood and stared while keeping my senses honed for anyone watching the current Dragon Arc Guildmaster soar. Turning to see the boy's black-haired friend staring at me seriously, I merely asked, "Are you really as dense as the dumbass?" He shook his head and helped the blonde up to his feet to walk with him as they left. (Uncue music)

 **Scene change**

(Cue: DanParthenis-Instinct of Battle I/DanParthenis-The Momentum. Ally's gonna be quotin' this AMV, I own nothin' of it) Standing in the stadium, I looked at the thin crowd blankly. Ever since the Crash, mages were becoming fewer and fewer, as if all we had worked for was to be forgotten overnight. In the ring were Ally and Lisanna, the former grinning maniacally as he cackled insultingly at the Animal Takeover mage's rage-filled face. "Come on, show us your true colors-or rather-lack thereof, _girl!_ "

Lisanna, gritting her teeth in fury, charged at the red-garbed male as she transformed into her Frostvern Takeover, taking flight and rushing the Sphinx Refuge mage with everything she had. A sadistic grin coming to grace his face, showing off his sharp fangs as he opened his arms and took the blow from the flying female without budging from his spot, his internal organs bursting out through his back before Lisanna passed right through and his organs regenerated before our eyes. "Damn you! What are you and why can't I beat you?!"

Snickering sadistically, he answered simply as his body turned into a mass of eyes in a red-black substance, rows of teeth dancing around his multiple eyes. "Blood..." Returning to his human form, "DEVIL'S RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGEEEEEE!" With that, his chest inflated somewhat before he lunged his head towards her and released a stream of blood, bloody mist and bone shards. The attack came right for Lisanna, her eyes wide as she froze with fright from the power she felt him exude as he performed the spell. It hit her full force, bathing her body in blood and bone shards that started to cut away at her until he stopped releasing the stream and strode towards the now on-her-knees Strauss. "If you were to go back in time, how far would you go?" He asked simply, curiously.

Breathing heavily, weakly, Lisanna glared at him distrustingly as she said between gasps, "Go fuck yourself, what does this have to do with anything?!"

He only kept moving until he was standing a few feet in front of her, "Several decades ago, I wanted those days to keep going so I could enjoy the company of my companions and fellow Slayers. Even if you could go back," Everyone looked to him in confusion as his voice was heard through the visual lacrima and he continued. "You would only replace the victim, causing someone else pain and making others suffer your mistakes..." Around the stadium floated images of people familiar and foreign to those viewing, many of them from guilds that Dragon Arc and her sister guild had encountered before while others were complete strangers. All of a sudden, the face of a young Salamander appeared on the screens with a young Lisanna and freshly hatched Happy before the screens became grey. "Would they choose to be replaced?"

The extra screens and images vanished, leaving the stadium focused on Ally and Lisanna. "Keep them out of this, bastard!" Lisanna wheezed and gasped angrily. She stood up shakily, holding her stomach in pain, before crumpling back to her knees again with a grunt. "What did you do to me?!" Was her demand for an answer.

A slight widening of his eyes was all the audience had to figure out that he was as confused as we were. Regaining his composure with a mild smirk on his face in understanding, he said calmly, "Time waits for no one. I've told my companions, current and former, that I don't want to just die...I want to die happily, with a smile on my face and tears of joy-not sorrow-in the eyes of those around me. As I have done so many times before for others, gritting my teeth to fight back my selfish tears, I want one day for someone to wave me off as they say 'I'll see you on the other side.'" He let his arm turn into the black-red substance, an unholy glow at the connection of his 'arm' and his shoulder. "Being left behind is unbearably painful, especially when it's because of you. Your mate knew that more than anyone else, until you discovered his plight firsthand, but everything that happens has a reason and just like a clock life going in a circle..." His 'arm' reached out to the pained Strauss, touching her stomach and making her look of suffering end temporarily. "Where one life ends another begins anew."

Removing his 'arm' from the Animal Takeover mage, he was met with a look of gratitude before Lisanna stood to her full height and spread her wings intimidatingly. "It's up to to you whether you live and die with a reason...but if you are then start running ahead instead of falling behind towards your future!" Lisanna looked to him, her eyes slits as her body began to glow before her Takeover vanished leaving her in the clothes she had chosen to show off her guild colors with the addition of her soul taking the form of a feline-reptilian cloak.

"Fine..." She said plainly, her eyes narrowed with determination that made Ally smirk triumphantly. "I'll show you what I've been hiding for years!" And with that, the stadium was lit up with a bright, blinding light in a show of power. I could only watch with wide eyes until I looked to an equally wide-eyed Salamander as he gripped his head in pain, making Wendy go to his side in concern for him. "People's dreams...NEVER DIE!" Was Lisanna's warcry, making Ally cackle out of honest amusement along with many of us as well as Salamander who grunted in pain between laughs...(Uncue music)

 **Scene Change**

My heavy feet left indentations in the stone floor as we strode through the prison quietly, not paying any mind to the inmates who reached for us and begged us to let them out. I kept my features impassive, needing to make sure the inmates didn't feel my pity or sympathy. First was behind me, having stepped down recently and needing to make sure I was prepared and aware of all of my duties. This, however, wasn't one of them. Coming to a stop at a seemingly random cell, a dark, sarcastic chuckling emanated from within the shadows that hid our target prisoner.

"I didn't know visiting hours started so early on weekends?" Said the inmate, his voice still as sharp and taunting as ever, but the atmosphere he emitted wasn't one of a proud hunter or dangerous predator. The air surrounding his cell reeked of regret, hatred, humility, depression and solitude no creature deserved. "So," He began, moving towards the light slowly, chains clanking around his ankles and wrists as he winced at the dim light of the torches outside the mostly walled-off cell. "Are you here to gloat? Or have you come to finish the job your pink-haired bastard didn't finish?!"

That last comment, my slitted red eyes narrowed and my jaw clenched as I bared my now gritted teeth, I reached into the cell, breaking a few of the bars in the process, and grabbed him by his throat, ultimately shutting him up for a second. To the side of the cell stood First, his eyes unsurprised and his face not giving anything away. After the destruction of Tenrou Island, everyone had taken a change to their personality and become more mature in some manner. First was no longer slacking around or acting like a douchebag, Wendy had become the little big sister or mother figure for everybody when they needed to talk, Salamander was serious most of the time or trying to be to do his forgotten family justice, and me...I'd been told by most people who knew me that my personality had done a complete one-eighty.

"Never," I threatened with my eyes like that of a monster, making the inmate's purple-black eyes widen in fear. "Ever insult him or act like his showing you mercy was a mistake!" Although I was still a cocky bastard, I wasn't prone to instigating fights or pissing people off. Instead, I was calmer, quiet most of the time and more sensitive to emotional bursts. This was obvious as I flexed my claw-like hand, making the sharp-tongued fucker emit a choking sound before the voice of a familiar Slayer reached my ears.

"Don't kill him!" She called down the hallway, her voice filled with concern for the male whose throat I had in my grip. "You said it yourself, 'There are too few of us left and we need to stick together.' Don't become the monsters that nearly wiped us out, please..." Her eyes pled for me to let go of the man's throat, pulling at my heartstrings more than the fucker's insulting of my friend and surrogate brother. Inhaling deeply, I growled as I exhaled and let go of the man's throat, getting him to cough and for our guild's bartender to run to the cell's bars with a look of concern as she reached inside and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

His only response was to cough a few more times and then look to her in extreme confusion, trying to understand why she gave a damn. "Who the Hell are you and why the fuck do you care?" Instead of answering verbally, she opted to instead breath out a purple and black haze that made his eyes widen before he began to devour the substance with gusto, sighing in relief as he recognized the flavor with even wider eyes. "...how..."

Smiling at his understanding, she simply said, "It's a long story."

 **Waking world, Gajeel's apartment**

Suddenly awake with a gasp, the adopted son of Metalicana rose from his bed and looked out his orange-tinted windows with wide, shocked eyes full of confusion. He had at first when he was just starting out in Fairy Tail gone looking for a place near his former territory to make a dwelling and to act as a long-distance member of the guild, but Shadow Gear had directed him to the apartments for rent near the river. This had been the cheapest and the easiest to patch up. When he'd first found it the place looked like it was once a refuge for poor and sick people. The windows had been tinted by the elements and the natural aura of the mages nearby, the wood was gnarlier than a mangled limb and the supports looked ready to break any moment.

But with some time and a nice amount of food-A.K.A. metal-the place was a nice place to live in. Looking out the window, he saw that Bora and Wanda were exiting the building next to the Celestial mage's home, peaking his curiosity slightly when in all honesty he didn't care too much to really worry about it at the moment. His long, raven-black hair was a mess from tossing and turning in his sleep while his joints ached like Hell until he stretched, causing the joints to pop, releasing the pent up pressure from being remaining in one general position for too long, and the muscles to loosen up.

Getting up to stand on his bed, the clothes from the day he had first fought Salamander still on his back, he stood to his full height and yawned with his long tongue extending outward as well before he opened his window and leaped into the river where he sank to the bottom for a little bit. _This has got to be one of the most efficient ways of waking up and getting clean in the morning!_ Crouching to the river bottom, letting out a few bubbles of breath to depressurize for his next action, he jumped to the side of the river with the wall closest to his apartment where he turned his hands into iron talons with which he climbed out of the river onto the empty, morning streets.

Returning his arms to normal, he shook his entire body to get a good portion of the water out of his clothes and off his body before grabbing a towel he'd hidden near his apartment's front door to dry himself off the rest of the way. Looking to the sky blankly, he muttered to himself, " **Naeck ui gethrisjir ekess qe birk li salamander ui ti tenpiswo...kwi algbo,** **ehis si shilta tir zahae coi jaka batobot si mi svern.** " He placed the towel back where he hid it and went for a stroll, making sure to air-dry himself off the rest of the way.

Heavy footsteps echoed in the empty streets, his presence being the only thing within his neighborhood for the time being which suited his needs just fine. Although he acted selfish and assholish a good portion of the time, Metalicana had been a pretty good influence on the raven-haired Slayer, his lessons having been nailed into Gajeel's mind with each bolt in his body. That's how the Iron Dragon had taught his adopted son: through trial and error with success being rewarded with one of his father's shed scales rolled into a bolt pierced into his body. It had been Gajeel's idea to use the shed scales as body piercings, but it had been Metalicana's idea to use it as a reward system for paying attention to lessons and orders.

Although seeming morally wrong, it had actually been a form of bonding as the red-eyed Slayer never lost those bolts and they reminded him that his father was literally a part of him. Their relationship would have seemed gravely at best and craggy at worst, but really they actually cared deeply for one another. When Gajeel had been caught by S-Hunters, Metalicana had gone searching without a moment of rest for his heavy wings and the worry in his eyes as he had reunited with his son had been that of a father who cared for his son.

The last lesson the Iron Dragon had taught his son was that no matter how harsh the world might be, his dignity was what could never be robbed of him and would always show that all his enemies should fear him for it. After that lesson, Metalicana had vanished without a trace, a single scale left in his place with the words ' **I** **teshk ui zarlathil, shar svadrav wux ulnot ekik di coi, coi xkhatic fekiwvi. Vi plythu ganim ui ti okh, coi ui wurunwada sari tlues.** ' These words were what he lived by. Feeling sad about things is natural and understandable as long as the feeling of sadness doesn't get in the way of what's being done and as long as there is a perceived weakness, it exists as such. That's why he usually had a scowl or an arrogant grin on his face, to drown out his sadness that he existed in ignorance and to not let his sadness become a weakness to be exploited.

Shaking away his thoughts of the past, Gajeel looked to see his clothes and hair had dried, letting him know it was time to head to the guild. " **Sva gekip si shilta xoal ekess ehtah vi kobtish batobot janik qe diwhaf...J** **akina, xsiol si kiwieg juanth!** " With that said, he twisted his center to the right and left which caused the sounds of cracking to be emitted loudly, making him groan in relief. " **Batobot ui desta.** " Heavy footsteps still being the only sound in his neighborhood for the time being, he made his way to the guild without any issues besides the occasional stray cat that came his way which got him to stop and treat them to being pet. A few cats almost caused him to trip, but they soon came to the understanding he needed to be somewhere.

Opening one of the guild doors, he entered silently and made his way to the request board before growling under his breath, " **M** **etalicana nurti ankua ve svanoa ekess urcaxa, xsio!** "

"Who didn't teach you how to read?" Came a voice from behind the Slayer, making him turn around while shifting his arm into an iron claw with a bestial snarl only to find-

" **T** **urasjir vilklvi, svanoa tira wux marinx svern ekess ve?** " He asked in Draconic, forgetting other people were in the guild and could hear him due to how loud his voice was.

Levy looked at him plainly and said flatly, "To answer the question of how I snuck up on you, it's because I'm quiet and don't emit my power like a volcano unlike you, Wendy and Natsu. Also, thanks for only teaching me baby words! Wendy's better at teaching than you are, by the way." At the mention of being the same/lesser as Wendy and Salamander, the Iron Dragon Slayer released an even nastier snarl with his teeth bared and his claws flexed.

" **Si mi ehis hefoc Salamander usv Suaci, tir ti wux rinov yenta batobot si mi!** " His snarl was met with a disinterested look from the blunette, getting his eye to twitch after he finished snarling and smile maliciously. " **Re wux xoalir ekess relekihl ve ekess vi slathalin, lev? Tagoa sjek wux re, si shilta yenta ihk vi ywrats wux geou hawg.** " Those words, those growled out words, made the Solid Script mage freeze in place with a look of fear.

Her magic required her to know words, and she knew a lot in a quite a few languages, but that didn't mean she had the power to back that up. Due to her size and the rarity of which she took jobs, she didn't have as much mana to spare as her teammates and Gajeel knew this. The look of fear in her eyes made said Slayer grin even more maliciously, his slitted red eyes gleaming with hunger for a fight. Even though Salamander had been away only a few days, the guild had become pretty dull and altogether a huge bore for the metallivore as well as the aerovoric Wendy, so the prospect of a fight was a possible relief from the boredom and dullness that he wasn't going to miss out on.

Before poor, little Levy could refuse the accusatory question, Gajeel said aggressively, " **Si filiik si itrewic ekess tepoha vi smunsoua di diwhaf mrith wux hak, tir ti si?!** " And that spelled out the bookworm's doom.

" **Zarachiiir!** " Called Wendy from the second story, strapped to her hip the linguistics book that she swiped from Lucy who was stalking the forcibly-maturing girl with the intent to reclaim her book. Looking over the edge, she saw that poor Levy was frozen with fear and sporting an immense blush on her face at the way her teammate had phrased his last sentence.

Said Iron Dragon Slayer was glaring up at his fellow First Generation Dragon Slayer irritably, calling up, " **WUX TUOR EKESS GETHRISJ?!** "

" **Thric,** " Wendy said maturely, vaulting over the edge and landing on her feet safely on top of the wide-open door beside the request board. " **S** **har si tir ti hefoc wux jatil-cotuir sia bautwael, pluvt!** " She glared at Gajeel as she said the last word insultingly, making his eyes widen with rage and his claws clench into fists as his teeth were grit so hard it looked like he was going to destroy them.

" **W** **ux clax batobot spical, _NUWA'JIMOS!_** " He roared the last part, making Wendy glare even more at the male Dragon Slayer with a harsh aggression in her eyes at the insult.

" **Ergiff,** " Came Wendy's retort slowly, anger in her eyes and quivering fists as she refused to make the first strike. " **Ir darastrix shilta wiap persvek nomenoi svanti, wux vucot...** " Gajeel grinned dangerously at her as she reciprocated with a deranged sneer, the two of them turning away from each other and returning to where they had been and what they had been doing respectively...A two-Slayer war beginning within Fairy Tail as the rest of the guild tried to make sense of what they'd just seen.

 **With Happy and Natsu**

A blue tiger roared loudly, his large, angellic wings spread wide as he made himself look bigger than he was. " **Wux itrewica coi, Deevdru!** " Natsu said angrily as he set his body alight with fire and launched himself at their opponent, knees first. " **Ixen Darastrix Valignatir Thran!** " His fiery kneecaps hit their enemy without fail, followed by the sound of bones breaking and a pained shout, before the opposing mage grunted with a cocky smirk as his arm shifted into a mass of flesh, bones and blood that began to encase Natsu before he exhaled a plume of hot flames that burned the male's mass to ash.

"Damn," Said the male half-disappointedly, still wearing that arrogant smirk. "This could've been a quick and painless kill, but you've forced my hand...for that I'm sorry." Even as he apologized, he wore that smirk like he was honest yet didn't care about his own feelings as he grew his destroyed arm into a writhing length of tendrils that went for Natsu and his son, making both of them take to the skies where the tendrils followed close behind. "YOU CAN'T ESCAPE WHAT YOU CAN'T COMPREHEND, SON OF FORMER FIRE DRAGON KING IGNEEL! YOU CAN'T EVEN PROTECT YOUR KIN FROM ME, WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU CAN ESCAPE ME?!"

Saying that would be the end of their quarry because after saying that, Natsu snuffed his burning wings and dived down into the tendrils with his soul forming around him as a cloak of fire, a roar of hatred leaving him as he dove through the tendrils and went right for the source of them. " **SVABOL RE WUX UKRISIR ZAHAE,YOBOLAT?! SVAUST DE SIA SVIHELEN TIRE WUX SVENT?!** " As Salamander grabbed the man and burned away all of his extensions, leaving him a torso and head with cauterized wounds where his arms and legs would be, the male laughed in sick amusement before he sprayed a stream blood, bone shards and bloody mist at the Fire Dragon Slayer in an attack.

Taking every blow from the stream, he cauterized every scratch and cut with his soul-cloak's flames. " **ANYUI VE!** " More laughter answered Natsu's enraged roar before he received answers in between chuckles.

"I'm-hehehe-," Said the male with a glaze over his eyes, euphoria in his smile. "The one who the Magic Council bribed to lead the forefront of the killings of most Slayers during the Secret Slayer War-Hahaha-I won't ask for forgiveness or redemption from you...nor will I blame you for killing me after this, after all I've outlived the Magic Council's usefullness of me and they can't control me. That's why you're here, isn't it-hahaha!-? To fill in the space you'll make by killing me?! Because that's why the request was sent to every guild in Fiore-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!-I'M TOO OLD AND TOO POWERFUL TO BE LEFT ALIVE WITH WHAT I KNOW AND WHAT I'VE DONE, RIGHT?!"

Every word he said. Every cackle he got out. Everything this bastard did made Natsu _sick and pissed!_ A bad combination. " **TRELK SVERN!** " Cocking back his fist, he began beating the living shit out of the monster-in-man's-clothing before him, his fists burning with flames of hate and regret until he was tired out while the male's body regenerated and healed some of the wounds as others turned into scars.

Sighing as Natsu shuddered sorrowfully, Happy having landed and reverted to normal to comfort his father, the male spoke softly. "Not even when you're full of the drive and power to...you can't kill me either. Such a shame, too. You seemed almost perfect for the job...Oh well, I guess it's back to your guild with you, Salamander." Natsu looked into the man's orange eyes, his hatred rekindling as his body shook with the attempt to regain the energy it had just burned through. "Don't bother, boy, you're exhausted and you're out of mana. Trying to kill me in this sorry state will only kill you more than you already are..."

"Shut up..." Natsu muttered, his aura blowing lightly.

"Fine." Said the male, waiting for his opponent to speak.

After a few minutes of silence and shuddering, the pyrovore asked heatedly, "How did they bribe you and why did you accept their terms, motherfucker?!"

Looking into the enraged Slayer's eyes, he said guiltily, "They offered me salvation and I was desperate. I was-"

Natsu grabbed the Slayer of Slayers' throat, eyes full of hatred and depravity. "Don't you dare give me an excuse! Don't try to make yourself the victim when you know you're the complete opposite!"

The sounds of choking escaped the male before he glared defiantly into Natsu's eyes. "I'm-erk- _not!_ You wanted to know why and I'm answer-eee-ee-ee-ing you, Salamander!"

"Then _speak!_ " Shouted the pyrovore.

"Alright!" Shouted back Natsu's target. After the pink-haired mage let go of his throat, the man regained his breath and said, "I was dying. My magic was tearing me apart and I was going to suffer unbirth, as my magic's consequences for mistakes are unique in that they don't destroy...they degenerate and devolve the user until their nothing but a pool of lifeless blood. I needed blood, bone, flesh...At first I tried just taking out the sick, dying and wounded, but that couldn't sustain me since they were weak and I needed healthy blood instead of just infected or nearly all-drained-out blood."

He looked up into Natsu's hateful eyes, pleading for mercy or forgiveness nowhere in his eyes as he continued, "My desperation lead me to start targeting random people and animals. Eventually I tried devouring a member of the Magic Council and nearly died trying, probably would've been better if I had, really. During our battle, the Magic Council member saw that I regenerate and regrow appendages at will, even if it was down-sized due to my lack of food. We fought for hours, my body taking almost all of the damage while she was untouched..."

"She?" Natsu asked, his interest now slightly peaked.

"Yeah," Said the male. "Grey hair and emerald eyes. A Takeover mage, believe it or not. She was quite the fighter, too, if her Takeovers were anything to go by. Hydra, chimera and manticore were the ones I faced. Regardless, she saw how I used the blood and flesh of those around me to heal as well as increase the power behind my spells and had an apostrophe-"

"I think you mean an 'epiphany'." Corrected Happy, sitting on his father's shoulder.

"My mistake," He nodded his thanks to the winged feline who glared at him in response. "Anyway, while we exchanged attacks, she asked if I wanted anything which I responded with 'for you to die!'." A cloud of self-pity came over Happy and Natsu's head, the male's monologue getting old fast. "But it was her counteroffer that's interesting...She offered me all the blood I could ever dream of in exchange for my services. Who on Earth could turn down such an offer, seriously?!"

"Believe it or not, just about anyone." Happy's comment was quickly ignored by the blood-drinker.

"Her offer was tempting but I was skeptical, until she used one of her claws to slice open her arm, letting all of that delicious blood dribble out before my eyes...Before I could get it however, she made me swear I'd do anything she and her associates asked me to without question. Still untrusting but starving for blood and still running out of time, I accepted hesitantly until I got a taste of that blood! Her bloodline still carries that delicacy in their veins and I can still taste it even now..." He licked his lips, drool leaking out of sharp fanged mouth.

"At first," He continued after remembering he was answering a question. "They only sent me on short missions involving single targets or really small parties, requiring almost no time to take care of. Although the targets seemed random, they weren't. Consisting of former convicts and users of illegal magic, it spiraled up into killing Slayers. I kept my end of the bargain, hunting down S-Class Slayers they wanted dead without question, and they paid me in all the blood I could dream of with a bonus of my victims...However," Muttering the last part guiltily, he continued. "After a while they began giving me fewer and fewer targets until they didn't have any and I was left sated and confused. It took me a century to realize that _every Slayer I killed and ate_ was an innocent soul and that the rest of the Slayer population had been offed, including my kin as well."

"A century/century?!" The two Fairy Tail mages asked in unison, getting a nod from the male as he regenerated his limbs to stand. Rising to his full height, he nodded solemnly.

"Yeah. As you know, Slayers live longer than humans by default, what you don't know is how long. It depends on obvious factors of the individual's lifestyle and choices, but the biggest factor is what kind of Slayer, element included. God Slayers live for centuries but usually go insane before three of those due to the fact they didn't start out that way. Dragon Slayers, like yourself, usually live for about two centuries easily. Devil Slayers live for about a century or two before dying of old age unless they rely on organic materials that can heal and grow. However, your surprise is probably due to how long it took, and I don't mean a century _after_ the whole thing went down; I mean in total, I was working for the Magic Council for a century in total and I didn't catch on because I'm an idiot."

"..." Natsu and Happy looked to each other, their anger forgotten in shock of how slow to the pitch this guy was.

"I'll be going now since you can't kill me." Walking in a random direction, Natsu called to him.

"Wait," He stopped and looked back to see Natsu glaring at him again. "I won't try to kill you as long as you help Slayers get back at the Magic Council! We're few and far in between so we need to stick together even if we hate each other. You help us, and your punishment and guilt might be alleviated as well as possibly make some allies, maybe friends if you play your cards right..."

Looking to Natsu in shock of his decision to give him a chance at redemption, he turned around to look at the mage directly. "What would you have me do, then?"

Grinning in victory, Salamander let his soul form a cloak around himself as he appeared in front of his former opponent, "Break your promise to the Magic Council and we'll talk..." He looked at the man questioningly.

"Alucard Bellmont of Cainhurst Castle, but my friends and companions called me Ally for short." He said this somewhat nostalgically before he grabbed Natsu's now outstretched claw-like hand.

"Ally it is then. Do as I've asked, and we'll talk about how you might redeem yourself and maybe...just maybe your sins might be made up for by your actions..." He said this sternly, distrustingly and aggressively. It was a new day and a new dusk for change...

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

That's a wrap ladies, gents an' other! I know Natsu an' Ally's conversation's kinda shitty compared to what I've written in the past, so I'm sorry 'bout that. This chapter's been a pain in the ass recently an' I'm thinkin' I just need to finish this piece an' take a break so I can make somethin' ya'll enjoy instead'o the shit I just made here. Not a lotta questions I can think of so as always: thanks for bein' here, R&R, no flamin' my ass, constructive criticism an' SEE YA-G'NIGHT!


	22. Dragons can't catch breaks

Whaz up ladies, gents an' other! Rereadin' my stories, I realized I've left some certain...subplots untouched for too long. Time to clean that up an' at the very least let them postpone themselves for a bit. I own none'o the series I bring into this story.

 _Thoughts or emphasis_

'Paraphrasin'

"Normal speech"

" **Nonhuman speech** "

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Even after all these years..." Natsu growled, irritation and exhaustion in his tone as well as eyes. "They hunt us like vermin and we fight amongst ourselves like ignorant children, arguing over who gets what..." Those words were barely audible, but Happy heard them as well as their former target.

A snort answered his statement. "You expected anything different? To humans we're nothing but monsters," The stern-faced man said. "Savages, mongrels and beasts to be tamed or eradicated. We've tried to make peace with them, but it's always come out as failure!"

"SO?!" Happy snarled at the red garbed, stubble-chinned man. "Just because it's failed before doesn't mean it will fail again! Why don't you try again? Maybe it will work this time and peace can be sustained..."

"What then? We wait until humans make the move to exterminate us again?! Every nonhuman race in the world's too terrified to come out of hiding or fight back. Tell me, child," The wind blew through his shoulder-length, black hair as he looked to Happy with a look of pity, annoyance and thought, his eyes mostly hidden by hair as the wind twisted and swept it in every direction. "Have you seen reason to believe there's a chance for nonhuman races to exist in this world with humans still trying to control it? I've been around long enough to see that there's no hope for humans to redeem themselves!"

Growling, Natsu looked into the sunset-orange eyes of their former target, eyes making contact as the sun itself began to rise with their place on the rocky mountain top granting them with an astonishing sight of the world caught between chaos and peace. At the realization that the sun was rising, Ally vanished from sight only to be heard screaming in pain as the Gate Key around Natsu's neck began to glow and thrash around as if fighting against the string holding it around his neck. Ally reappeared, gasping in pain and hugging himself in a vain effort to quell the suffering. "What the Hell?!" Asked the son of Igneel, confusion in his eyes as well as some worry for their potential-ally.

"Fucking Gate Keys _hurt!_ " Ally responded, the sunlight causing his body to start steaming which made him scream out a silent sound. _TURN OFF THE FUCKING SUN, PLEASE!_ He shrieked soundlessly, his voice echoing inside the minds of Happy and Natsu. Heeding his plea, Happy extended his wings and enlarged them with magic before extending one in front of Ally, hiding the literally-steaming mage from the sun's rays for the moment. Nodding in gratitude to the feline, Ally spoke with audible words. "Mulțumesc! Damn it that hurts just as bad as Gate Keys...To answer your question, Salamander: Blood Devil Slayers fall into two categories. I'm in the category known as vampire, Draculina or blood-sucker while the other one is ghoul, flesh-eater, and crypt-crawler."

"Okay, what does that have to do with you burning in the sunlight and screaming that Gate Keys hurt?" Happy asked calmly, his wings being so large and his body being so small that it seemed almost obnoxious how the limbs were disproportionate to his center.

"I'm getting to that. Draculina, like myself, are literally sentient, living-blood. Ghouls are solid flesh and bone with the blood in their bodies doubling as extra organs. For me, however, my entire being is blood minus my hair and nails. High temperatures cause liquids to evaporate, and I'm technically a living liquid. Now, normally I can tolerate the sunlight long enough to find shelter or a host to house me for a while, but you burnt away a portion of me during our fight and the peaks of a few of these mountains have reflective surfaces, intensifying the lightwaves as they hit me to the point I'm starting to evaporate." Ally said this all in one breath, not a pause as he continued.

"The keys used by Celestial mages are painful for Devil Slayers, especially my kind. Slayers are, as you know, basically human or lesser-versions of the creatures we slay, and objects of the holy nature hurt devils as well as their Slayers...That answer all you're questions?" He finished without taking a breath of air, his body churning around in demonstration of his point as he grew an extra set of limbs and another head before reabsorbing them into his being.

"Being liquid would mean you're not like this appearance-wise inherently, so that means you weren't born like this. If that's the case, how are you able to be solid-ish and stay like that in our fight or in general? And how come we could hear your voice when you weren't moving your mouth?!" Happy asked intelligently, childlike curiosity in his voice.

"During our fight, I let some of myself into your wounds and found my way into your brains. Nothing dangerous I promise, just enough to read your minds for battle. I'm already out of your systems by now. Draculina are taught from birth how to retain a solid form, the first time they feed being their one and only lesson. In this world," Ally looked to the sky now, clouds dotting the blue expanse and emptiness overpowering everything into a feeling of pressure. "It's either do or die, learn or fail, feed or be fed upon..."

"What do you mean your first victim's a lesson?" Natsu asked, caution in his voice for fear of what he'd hear.

"Anyone ever tell you it's rude to pry?"

"You're on our side, aren't you?!"

"Just because we're on the same team doesn't mean we're comrades, Salamander. You don't know jack about me and I only know so much about you from being inside you for a bit." Hearing that made Natsu's eyes widen in fear, shock hitting his system at the realization.

"How much did you see?"

"Only enough to know that you lost the love of your life and you're dying as we speak...Which I'm sorry to hear."

" _How much?!_ " Happy growled.

Looking away from the sky, Ally looked to the feline quietly. "The Strauss family has a muddled history, child. You don't want to know what I do."

A snarl left Natsu as he grabbed the Devil Slayer by the throat, his eyes glinting with rage. "What are you talking about, bastard?"

"If I tell you you'll never be able to look at your kin-in-law the same way, Salamander. Don't pull that thread if you know what's good for you."

Saying that, Ally dissolved around Natsu's hand which made him stare at his hand agape mouthed before Ally vanished into with a few final words. "Look beneath the surface, Son of Igneel, or you're not going to find what you're looking for..."

" **SVABOL TIRIC BATOBOT JATIL WUX WIEKIIX!** " Natsu roared out.

 **Somewhere else (Seven Years Later** )

Standing near the upturned Mt. Hakobe was a young woman with hair the color of quicksilver, a blue furred feline flapping his wings before landing on her shoulder. "What are we going to do, Lismama? Paatsu doesn't know who we are, you're hurting, and we can't find the Infinity Castle anywhere! Times running out..."

"Yeah...I guess this is what it feels like to be in Hell on Earth." Her eyes were downcast, wings folded with her body mostly exposed to the cold except the low temperatures barely licked her flesh. "This must be how he felt when I was gone for so long, only it's worse because I wasn't so close he wasn't close enough to brush his hand against my cheek like always..." Tears started creeping at the edges of her eyes, sobs choking out of her throat and her body shivering in vulnerability borne of agony.

Choking became whimpers and croaks before becoming actual squalls of guilt, heartbreak and the loss of heart. Her son, now concerned and also at the edge of tears, began yowling out refusal of defeat. "Don't cry! Don't cry! We'll figure out something like we always did, remember?"

"Yeah...but that was when he was with us!" Her sqaulls became shrieks of cries of grief and denial. "I DIDN'T ASK FOR THIS! I DIDN'T WANT THIS! THIS CAN'T BE TRUE! THIS CAN'T BE REAL! WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP!" Following that, she started thrashing her tail around, smashing it against stones and sharp pieces of ice in the vain attempt to shock herself conscious by severing her tail from her body.

"NO! DON-"

" **OTRUSCH COI STODA, NUWA'JIMOSI!** " Came a roar of annoyance from a familiar Slayer who landed right behind the young woman, placing a claw-like foot on her tail to stop its thrashing while he snarled at the wide eyed gawking of the pair who'd been speaking about him a moment ago. " **S** **vabol re wux jiil tirir, staring vur drekim haiyear hefoc batobot svadrav wer rilark ui wer montu?!** " His eyes full of years of lonely nights, malice and disdain glowered into the eyes of the two he once knew. "What?! Do I have to talk human for you to understand? Get your asses looking for that fucking clock before I kill you both and do it myself!" When he said that, his body was set alight with his blazing aura and his wings spread with the wrath like that of gods, making the two freeze with fright when he roared out, " **GETHRISJ!** "

The only answer they could give was a simple 'aye' and a salute before they took to the skies where he soon followed, his flaming wings beating faster and faster until he was upon them, eyes full of malice and degenerate hate. Lisanna and Happy felt absolute horror at those eyes. Those same eyes which had held such love and adoration for them were no more, replaced with these heinous orbs of black slits without a sense of mercy in them as he inhaled deeply. The only thought going through their minds being those of regret and broken hearts. _Goodbye, my love..._

 _I'm sorry Paatsu, I couldn't keep my promise!_ Tears fell from their eyes as the man who had been there for them turned on them without a moment's hesitation.

 _NO!_ Said a voice from deep within the Dragon Slayer, his eyes wide in recognition as he failed to ignite his breath and gripped his head in pain which was followed by him plummeting to the ground as he screamed in his plight. " **ITREWIC EKIK DI SIA FOTHISEV!** " Hearing his cry of torment, the resigned pair followed after him, wings folded inward to make their descent quicker as they intended to catch him.

"WOOHOO!" Came a random shout of triumph as a lance flew between them, severing some of Lisanna's provocative attire and impaling straight through Happy's wing which was met with a yowl of-"OOWWEEE!"

"BABY!" Was Lisanna's cry of fear for her child, the one she had raised and loved as her own being in peril overriding her beloved mate's fate for the moment.

With Salamander was a sky blue Exceed and a knight carrying a shield with a mirror surface. The knight had an eccentric, wide and cocky grin on his face while the Exceed stared at the falling Slayer calmly, adjusting his glasses when he saw something was amiss. "SAL!" A female voice cried in concern, making the feline turn to find a white haired woman landing with their target in her arms. She laid the thrashing-in-pain Slayer carefully, pity in her eyes for the man she had once called cute.

Wearing a snow-white trench coat held closed with several straps and belts, her shirt was unseen and her boots were that of a mountain climber although with an added heel to them. Her pants, although not as obvious as her boots, were grey and mismatched fabrics with most of them being insulators for her fine legs. Blue eyes changed from pitying to furious as she turned to glower at the two who had hurt someone she called family, her many braids of silver hair flailing in the wind as her aura became visible and the bow in her hair threatening to fly off. She took a defensive position before the sound of flapping wings reached her ears and she heard her eldest daughter's voice in her mind. _Let me out and hide yourself!_

Pulling something from off her hip, she opened a bottle quickly with a red, bloody mist escaping it as a result before closing it quickly and letting the mist hide her as she vanished from sight. "WHAT?!" Was the sky blue Exceed's cry of confused shock when the sound of wings flapping ended to reveal Lisanna and her son, although one of them was indecently dressed...if the term was considered appropriate.

The man who had just been standing there dumbstruck at the suddenness of the white-haired woman's appearing/disappearing act was suddenly spewing blood from his nose at the other white-haired woman's exposed bosom. His face red with perversion, he fainted from bloodloss while the feline opened his book and began frantically searching through it to find where he went wrong. "Lismama..." Happy mumbled embarrassingly, getting his mother to look to him at her side curiously.

"What is it baby?" She asked naively, tilting her head to the side which made her buxom chest bounce slightly, making her son look away in embarrassment and an innocent child's sense of disgust.

"YOU'RE BRA!" Happy cried, eyes closed and his back turned as he pointed at his mother's large, exposed breasts. Looking down his mother found herself naked from the waste up, making her yelp in surprise and return to normal form, her face red with embarrassment.

 _WHAT'S GOING ON?!_

"Damn..." Muttered the red, bloody mist. "You're really nothing like what Salamander's memories made you out to be. Sad thing is he's not all here to see his long, lost mate half-naked and crying frozen tears over his damned hide..." Rising from the mist was a young woman, her hair an ash grey and her eyes an inspiring heterochromatic sapphire blue and sunset orange. Her clothes were those of a young, adventuring seductress. Shorts that didn't cover anything except her crotch with the sides being green stars, black boots that reached up to her knees with the zippers rising in a double helix pattern all around the boot and a ridiculously tight shirt that didn't do anything to cover her flat stomach or even hide the fact that she was a well-developed girl for her age. Around her waist was a belt of rose thorns, a unique weapon hanging from her hip thanks to it, and atop her blue fedora with wide, floppy rims was a sunflower that didn't show any signs of wilting.

On both of her shoulders was an individual shoulder cape, the two of them being covered at their tops by a smaller cape that was made to cover her shoulders. Behind her, held in place by a pair of tendrils made from blood, was a shield made from a relatively-large, round, blue-glass mirror with which was imbued arcane prowess. "It's nice to make your acquaintance..." She said in a friendly, somewhat Romanian-accented voice matching a girl of her stature. Looking at the two who had been in the skies moments ago, she smiled. "Lisanna Strauss-Dragneel and Happy Strauss-Dragneel." Not giving them the chance to speak, she readied her weapon and went for the two males who had been targeting the ace of her guild's greatest ally. "HA!"

 **Different location (Future)**

It was dawn, the breeze carrying with it a sweet scent of flowers and new life, but it was more than that for a trio of mages. "This is what we're looking for, hm?" Said a mature man, his blue hair veiling his face from view and his old tattoo now being his guild's emblem of a winged serpent leaping into an arc over a large ship. Inside of the large ship part of his guild's emblem was the sign of their predecessor guild.

"Looks to be about right." Was the response from one of the man's companions, a fine woman of a desert-wandering people. Hair colored like the very pigment orange had been burned in one of Salamander's infernos and skin tanned to a beautiful hue like that of caramel. On her back was a young mage with the guild emblem on his entire face, eyes covered by a too-big-for-his-head, backwards baseball cap and his skin like that of his mother's.

Tapping his mother on her shoulder twice, he was allowed on the ground to inspect the object. "What is this thing supposed to be, mom?" Asked the boy curiously.

"Engine, my Bast. The Infinity Castle's engine."

"Oh. We should get this back home before those scuzzbags try and-" Before he could finish a green blob of magic came at him which was met with him forming a wall of black sand to stop it in its path. "NEVERMIND!"

"Quick reactions, son." Said the blue-haired man with a smile on his face. "But next time, how's about you insult the opponent in a more dignified and offensive manner, hm?"

The boy nodded with a smirk on his face. "Sure thing, dad. You two take the engine while I deal with this _peasant!_ " Pleased smiles crossed his parents' faces, the two looking to each other with nods of approval and agreement.

His mother, coming to his side with a loving smile, hugged him and gave him a peck on the forehead which made him lose concentration for a moment and lower his wall long enough for the blob to scoop him up while his parents made off with the engine. "DICK MOVE, MOM!" He declared irritably, getting his mother to grin cheekily and deviously which made her son grit his teeth in even more irritation.

"Seems your parents don't love ya, Buddy Boy!" And like that, the blonde-quiff-haired man's fate was sealed.

"SAYING CRAP LIKE THAT REALLY SANDS ME RAW, YOU SALT-DRINKING, CRAP-EATING SCUZZBAG!" After crying that with as much rage as Salamander in his youth, the boy released a sandstorm of charred-black granules which tore apart the semiliguid with gusto before adding in his soul's essence in the form of thousands of jagged, spinning blades which started shredding everything around him.

A scream of fear of the boy was heard by the proud parents who were already a little under a mile away, smiling with proud joy and tears leaving their eyes at the rate of which their little boy was growing up. With the boy, there was great rage as his eyes started to glow with his bellowing voice.

"SAND GOD'S...SEKHMET! SOUL SEVERING STORM!" Bellowed the boy, his rage growing with every slice of the blades that missed the shrieking, frantically-dodging man who would dare accuse his parents of feeling no love for the child they had raised with nothing but compassion, pride and discipline! "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" His storm grew and with it the surrounding area was devastated as all that could be heard was the woosh of the wind beating upon nonexistent ears and the bellow of a god born in a human child's body.

 **Dragon Arc Guildhall**

A wave of energy surged through everyone, making some freeze or jitter with surprise while others only sighed in exasperation or chuckled goodnaturedly at the surge in power they all recognized too easily. "It's just like that fortune teller said: 'A god will be blessed in the womb of one of your own and he will surpass those of the above and the below'. Hehe! We've got a god on our side-Pika!" Crowed an excited Chu, her mood being so great that sparks started flying off of her cheeks and her wings sprouted to do the same which was met with happy-fear from the rest of the guild as the others avoided her sparks as they flew off of her.

Coming out of nowhere with a fatherly grin, First scooped up the yellow Exceed with a triumphant 'ha!' and a laugh as she shrieked like the child she was. Laughter shook through everyone in the guildhall...even those of the former #1 Guild from seven years prior. Makarov was chuckling at the antics of his grandson and his adopted great-granddaughter, watching with a nostalgic feeling of pride in himself as he saw himself playing with Ivan when his son was still a child.

Suddenly, the double doors of the guildhall were opened by an unfamiliar girl with an injured Lisanna on an equally Battle Mode Happy as well as a large metal ring. "Looks like Sphinx Refuge's winning the bet, Master Wendy!"

"Damn it!" Said the still young-looking Wendy Marvell. Her appearance that of a fourteen year-old yet the intelligence of someone in her eighties. (*I'm beaten within an inch of life by some 'unknown' assailant*) Wendy, ignoring the fact that one of her former guildmates was in pain, strode up to the equally aged-looking girl who had brought the piece with her, glaring indignantly at her for getting to their guild before her own guildmates. "When Bora, Bast, Juanda and Sal get back here we're going to have a long talk..." She growled under her breath as the girl started making the trek back to her guild.

"Remind me why you're not removing the disguise, Wendy?" Asked a curious Gray, getting a sharp look of defiance.

"What?! Am I unappealing when I look like this?! Do you have a problem with the way I look?!" Strutting towards the Ice Make mage indignantly, Gray started to back up until he hit a wall and was stuck with her staring into his eyes sternly. "Well, spit it out: Do you not like me like this?!"

"It's not that! It's-"

Wendy strode off to her office with a childlike smile grin on her face at the fact she made someone besides her guildmates squirm. "I'm just messing with you, Gray. Learn to loosen up. Better get back to work before the Magic Council realizes Fairy Tail's alive!" With that, she was in her office without even moving, leaving a silent guildhall with someone in need of medical attention which was administered as soon as possible.

"Never understood her choice to stay young for as long as Fairy Tail was gone, myself." Came Salamander's voice from the ceiling, getting all of the conscious Fairy Tail mages to look to him with surprise and confusion. "I mean, why would she ruin her chances to find a mate over a bunch of people who wouldn't take into consideration the feelings of everyone they knew just to show defiance? Makes no sense to me, but I guess it never will."

"Hey!" Gray proclaimed, gritting his teeth at the man his rival had become for insulting his guild for trying to protect their sacred ground. "We didn't have a choice, bastard!"

Salamander merely raised an eyebrow at him for believing his own bullshit. "Let's get something straight here, kid," He said calmly, his rage obvious in his eyes at being near the two people who made his heart ache and his head cramp. "I'm not even sure you're from the few who remained, so don't get on your high horse over shit you don't know anything about and they _did have a choice!_ They could've run away from the danger to safety or made attempts to escape! But they didn't, they held hands and stood in a circle under the presumption that Acnologia wouldn't do what he did! They abandoned any hope of trying to leave before they even tried!"

"Our boat-"

"And if you are from the few who remained, some of you can fly. I know because the Animal Takeover mage does it and some of you have armor that can grant you flight, but you ignored that to instead fight and resign yourselves to death instead of thinking about everyone who cared about you on the mainland! You can freeze water into ice, one of you _is_ water and could've melded with the ocean to get you to safety and all of you are mages! So tell me, _member of 'the strongest guild in Fiore'_ , what was stopping you from LEAVING THAT ISLAND AND SAVING YOURSELVES?!" He roared the last part at Gray, years of watching his guildmates weep and search for a bunch of 'heartless' mages who abandoned them.

"..." Everyone in the building was speechless. Fairy Tail was shocked that they hadn't thought of anything Salamander had mentioned and ashamed for not thinking of those who hadn't come with them while Dragon Arc was silent in unspoken agreement. By no means did they hate their predecessor guild, but deep down they did feel a bit of resentment towards them for not making even an attempt at escaping their fate. The Magic Council had had a spy amongst their ranks, or so they thought, and the intelligence the spy had gathered confirmed their suspicions along with the fact that the spy had been on their side and had proved the accusation true.

"Call me biased, call me hypocritical-Hell-call me an asshole for shoving the truth in your face, but don't think _you're_ the victims here," Salamander turned away from Gray to glare at all of the Fairy Tail mages who still wore the emblem. "Because you're the guilty party, _not us!_ "

"Sal, that's enough." Chico said, finally finding her voice while her husband and daughter held their tongues.

" **Thric!** " He said aggressively, his slitted eyes boring into her coal-black orbs. "I've waited too long to give those fuckers a piece of my mind for abandoning us and leaving us here to be abolished before reforming anew! They left us out to fry while they went unpunished for making our hearts ache and our children ask us why we cry, they deserve this dressing down!"

"You're saying that because you gave up your memories to stop hurting, Sal, you're no better than they are." Gajeel said plainly from the bar, knowing what was coming next as the Ace of Dragon Arc's hair stood on end and began waving around wildly while his aura came into the color spectrum and took the form of incessant flames. " **TIR TI RINOV YENTA SI MI WER DIIESON LAE ATASHI! ASTAHII ZULF UDOKA EKESS VALIGNAT LAE ASTAHII SSIFISV IFPESP, XURWKIR UDOKA SONE SVERN INLOILFREYI LAE ASTAHII LAMITHA THRIC LOERCHIK! ASTAHII JALLA OUITH IHK TIRIR BATOBOT EKESS UDOKA!** "

" **F** **ilki tagoa astahii jalla tiric ti jatil astahii geou. F** **ilki tagoa astahii xurwka vi baclax tiric ti jatil yth jalla dartak astahi. Sal, si kampiun dout loerchik vur letoclo svaklar si shilta shar wux shilta ti xurwk lyriki ouith tagoa wux tir...** " Gajeel said wisely, compassionately as he stood from his seat at the bar to place a hand on the raging pyrovore.

" **Shar-** "

" **Thric shari! A** **stahii mirjal vi jiilral krehl hefoc wux tira. Wux tir ti tepoha ekess hefoc astahi usv jihai astahi, shar wux zklaen majak astahi vi krehl.** "

" **...winhal!** " Salamander muttered to himself, resentment still in his voice when Bora and Juanda came through the doors with the clock engine, Bast on his father's back asleep. Things weren't easy, but they were going somewhere and that's all their guilds could ask for.

 **Fairy Tail guildhall**

The guild was mostly calm. Coffee, booze and the like were being drank to wake people out of 'dead-on-our-feet'-land and Wendy and Gajeel hadn't attacked each other like they had implied via body language. Coming down from the second story, Laxus asked in a voice expressing pain, "Any ideas as to what's got the First Gens pissed?"

"Not a clue." Said a cheeky-sounding Wendy from behind the blonde Dreyar, standing on the railing in a playful manner. "Oh, wait. I remember now. Black Steel threatened my student and he's the one to start the fight, I'm just going to finish it!" Her cheeky grin was cute but the look in her eyes was that of a tactician and brilliant strategist. Before anyone could ask her how she would do as she said, she began counting on her fingers and a loud yell of surprise brought their attention to the front door where an onyx-haired Slayer was being hung upside down. "Called it!" She said with a triumphant punch in the air.

With a few short bounds from where she stood, the Sky Sorceress was in front of her fellow First Generation Dragon Slayer, her cheeky grin never leaving her face. "Was this your doing?!" Demanded Gajeel, a glare plastered on his face while Wendy gave him an innocent, clueless expression that was clearly to make a mockery of his question.

"Are you asking if I came to the guild an hour after it closed, picked the lock, gathered some rope and prepared a trap that only someone with your amount of weight could trigger? Why would you assume such a thing of little, old me?!" Fake tears came to the edges of her eyes, making Carla shake her head and sigh with her eyes turned skyward.

 _Please let this not go to her head._ Thought the bluenette's Exceed companion, her hopes being dashed when Gajeel snarled.

"GET ME DOWN!"

"..." Was Wendy's reply as she tapped her chin in false contemplation, looking at the rafters blankly. "I don't know...should I?"

"YES!"

"Okay," She shrugged. "But must I?" Countered she, her arms now crossed across her developing bosom, getting Gajeel to growl.

"GRRRGH!" Came Gajeel's growl before he morphed his arms into iron-scaled claws. Wendy's response was to jump and climb to the second story while Carla flew into the rafters where she wouldn't get caught up in her companion's squabble. As they did this, Black Steel slashed the ropes to pieces, getting him to land on his head which made the younger Slayer start giggling into her hands at her handiwork.

" **C** **oi ui zyak diwhaf ekess lehhav mrith pluvt!** " She said behind her hands and between giggles, her voice echoing around the guild in a ghostly manner. But it was her words that made Gajeel's body tense as he roared to her.

" **THRIC NER!** "

" **Wurwk ve, Kovgam Fothisev!** " Called back the SKy Sorceress, her voice bouncing around like it was its own being. Out of nowhere, Gajeel's body was lacerated and a blur flew around the guild. " **Jinthil ekess tiichi Erthnetora ihk nomeno vers vur grapwol...NOMENO UI DIWHAF!** "

While her voice bounced around, the blur kept going everywhere while Gajeel's face was being covered by more and more tickmarks until he just decided to go ham! Swinging his head downward, his brow made contact with a young Slayer's head, knocking her to the ground and making her twitch a few times in pain as her eyes held emptiness as she tried to understand what happened. " **Jakina/Jakina...** " They both muttered in pain.

"Looks like we've got a brawl waiting to happen, huh?" Mirajane asked rhetorically, seeing only a worrisome lot preparing for trouble.

A sigh answered her as a girl of about fourteen years-old wearing a cream-colored hood over her head. Her attire consisted of a pair of camouflage pants colored to the hues of the ocean and underneath her hoodie was a swimsuit that her pants covered the bottom half of. She wore no shoes, just bare feet against hard wood as she walked quietly to the request board, brought a job request out of her pocket which she then found a spot for and soon after tacked onto the board. After that, she proceeded to stroll out of the guild before Gajeel's right iron claw found its way onto her head where it held the girl still. " **Svaust re wux, Qumadosfan Darastrix Sventlin?** "

Instead of answering the girl moved her head so all Gajeel held was her hood before turning around where her honey-colored eyes bore into his red ones. Her hair was as blue as Wendy and Levy's but it was spikier and held out of her face by a pair of hairclips in the shapes of crosses with directions on the four extensions. " **Wer ir wux waori, Gaj!** " Before anyone could make a move, the girl had gathered energy around her hands into claws of water with which she started slashing at the male she seemed familiar with.

" **S** **i jahus loaw tagoa di dout nugri. S** **i itheika ihk eorikci shar wux nurti confna. S** **i jahus gethrisjir ekess letoclo!** " As she said these things, Gajeel was dodging without a care in the world as he tried to piece together who this girl was who seemed to know him. " **VUR WUX SYMBA MRITH WER NEBAN?!** "

Having had enough of the accusations, Gajeel caught the girl's claws in his own before moving his face closer to her now blushing visage. Her skin was mocha brown and her height was a bit more than Levi's. " **Svaust re wux?** "

" **...Mizore Marvell!** " And like that, any questions died in his throat as well as Wendy's. Before anyone could make a move, Mizore ran off before being pulled through a vortex-portal-thing of bloody-mist.

 **Miles away**

" **Troviat, coi tepohaic coanwor kiri drong.** " Said Sunadeha, his antlers holding many bird nests after weeks of searching for their companions in preparation of the upcoming Darastrix Daar Diwhaf.

The winged serpent Sunadeha spoke to nodded, her body wrapped around and enormous tree's branches, letting her body rest somewhat while her children slept in their nests nearby in slightly smaller trees. " **Abhlek coi tepohaic, Sunadeha. L** **ae lex tepohaic confn korja wer kyfei, si nymuer wer hianag di Lunamei tepohaic coanwor woari de toma?** "

Before anyone could answer, Banethras fell to his side, making several trees topple over as he sighed in relief that they had finally stopped walking. After finding Kirn who hadn't a clue where Wiesslogia was, Banethras and Sukane had opted to look for a little while longer before they bumped into Lunamei and Sunadeha who hadn't found Skiadrum but were near to Troviat.

Sighing at her travelling buddy, Sukane directly asked, " **Tepoha wux ocuirtor toladaf Skiadrum usv Wiesslogia?** " The winged serpent blinked in surprise at the sudden question, finding herself in need to speak more quietly.

Looking in every direction she could, Troviat turned her attention back to those she was speaking to and nodded her head a fair distance away where she soon after slithered to which was followed by all but Banethras following since he was exhausted from having not left his cave in a few years and Troviat's children needing to be near an adult for their safety.

Those who had followed the venom dragon were greeted by her hissing aggressively at them before taking a few calming breaths to snarl out, " **S** **i tir ti vucot svaklar toladaf di nomenes jiil pluvt-waethi re thur tir si doege sva nomeno klewar. Jaseve sia thaczil ghoros si xurwk wux!** " Wide eyed and fearful of a vengeful mother's wrath, they made a quick decision to regroup at the Darastrix Daar Diwhaf location that had been chose centuries ago.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

THAT'S A WRAP LADIES, GENTS AN' OTHER! Not much to chat 'bout so as always: thanks for bein' here, R&R, no flamin' my ass (ow), constructive criticism an' SEE YA-G'NIGHT!


	23. Taken Out of Life and into Damnation

Whaz up ladies, gents an' other! I've set the 4th Gen dragons' subplot to a halt for now and now I can focus more on the main plot. Let's figure out how badly Gajeel and Wendy hurt each other, huh? Word of warning: my writin's takin' a bit of a doldrum and the chapters aren't writin' themselves anymore. I don't own any series that I rope into this universe an' I'm not to be held responsible if the plot takes a turn unapproved by the masses! :)

 _Thoughts or emphasis_

'Paraphrasin'

"Normal speech"

" **Nonhuman speech** "

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

I held my daughter in my arms, her purr resonating through my body and her sleeping form safe from danger as I looked through the paperwork I'd gotten from some minor damages Romeo's training with Totomaru had caused. _He's so much like Natsu when he was younger...if only we could've saved him from becoming what he has._ A knock on the door broke me from my thoughts. "Come in." I said, returning my attention to the paperwork on the desk

Quiet, heavy footsteps were what alerted me to who was at the door as he let himself in and closed the door after himself, a soft growl coming from the other side before his companion joined us. His pant legs were tucked into his boots and his arms were wrapped in gauze from numerous spats with the rest of our kind. Onyx-black hair was as spiky as ever and wasn't any shorter than it was two years ago, but what was different was his face. Scars marred his once unblemished face and an eyepatch had made its place over his right eye, hiding the consequence from training to attain power. Garbed in the same clothes he'd worn since Tenrou, he had stone pauldrons and iron greaves weighing him down more than his regular heaviness.

His companion happened to be his former opponent from the Battle of Sky and Iron. Blue hair hanging loosely, a few dreadlocks as well as braids hanging here and there, with sky blue feathers and shiny scales dotting her head but hidden in the sea of blue hair. She wasn't any taller than she was two years ago nor was she any more developed but she was more mature to be certain. Wearing the attire she had the day Salamander had first met her, she had a few vials of liquids and powders on her medic's holster. Talon-like feet bare to the wood beneath her and claw-like hands kept warm with fingerless gloves, she was our guild's unchild and genius.

Standing side by side, they looked to me silently, waiting for me to look up from the paperwork. "I know what you're thinking and I don't think either of you would like being in this chair." I said quietly, voice loud enough for them to hear yet not loud enough to wake Chu.

"Actually," Wendy said contrarily. "We're here to ask if you'd like to take in another Dragon Slayer we know of." Those words made me freeze. I knew every Dragon Slayer in Fiore that had made a public appearance and all of them had been accepted into guilds already. So that left...

"You can't be serious. First off, he's from the Second Generation and we know how that song goes. And second off, he's hostile and will instigate Sal's wrath which none of us want to deal with again." Gajeel nodded, rubbing an ache of his neck and cracking it as well before speaking.

"That's true, Laxus, but you got a second chance and so does he." Wendy countered, getting a soft groan out of me as I rubbed my eyes with my free hand.

Finished rubbing my eyes, I asked seriously, "Have you mentioned this to anyone else?"

The both of them shook their heads no which was met with me sighing in relief. "We didn't want to get 'anyone's hopes up before we talked to you about it." Gajeel stated matter-of-factly.

"I'm glad. Oh, this job's going to be the death of me!" I complained, Chu shifting in her sleep until she yawned and blinked at me innocently. "Hey there, little one." Was my greeting to my darling child.

"Pika!" She replied before scampering up my shoulders and leaping off of me to run amok on the desk, getting me to moan in displeasure while Gajeel resisted the urge to laugh. Wendy on the other hand couldn't hold in the giggles which encouraged Chu's spastic behavior, making me whimper in dread at the thought of having to do the paperwork all over again.

Gajeel, deciding to address the elephant in the room, bluntly asked, "Don't you think it's time you step down to spend more time with your wife and daughter, Laxus?"

"I _knew_ you were going to bring that up and you denied it!" I said, pointing an accusing finger at Black Steel.

Hands raised in a sign of disarmedness, he admitted half-guiltily, "Yes, and I'm sorry. But you're tired almost all the time and you're barely ever out of the office except for when you need to eat but even that's rare."

While we spoke, Chu was running around like a lunatic before seeing Wendy and climbing awkwardly up her leg and body until she found her way onto the blunette's shoulder, playing with her hair like the kitten she was. "I know that but nobody wants this position and I can't force myself to force someone into this constant migraine! What am I supposed to do? You're my adviser, Gajeel, but you're not looking to be my successor and I sure as Hell know Wendy isn't looking to try her hand at being in this chair."

"The very thought gives me a headache." Wendy muttered.

"Be that as it may," Gajeel said sternly, taking a deep breath in preparation to do something he'd regret. "I'll carry the burden. I've got the toughest hide and the second most experience with financial work. You're free to be with your family, I'll get Wendy or Sal to help me around the office and the guild doesn't go broker than an unlucky gambler whose entire time's at the bar!"

"Even if that seems like a foolproof plan," I said. "Wendy just said she doesn't want to work in this office and we all know how Sal takes to boredom let alone paperwork. Remember the last time we tried having him fill in for me?"

All of us visibly winced at the memory of Sal acting as a stand-in for me that one time and that was a mistake no one wanted a repeat of. "At the very least consider it, First. Chico can't take care of Chu herself and she certainly can't stand not seeing you for days on end." Wendy's words were true, as they usually were, and I knew it but I didn't want to force someone to fill in this mind-numbing position...

 **Scene change**

Falling onto the couch in our home, I turned to see Chico shaking her head pityingly at my tired, burnt out appearance. "You're going to kill yourself if you keep this up, you know?" She said, knowing I heard her but couldn't correspond with what she wanted me to do.

I nodded to her words, my eyes watering from the guilt of leaving Tenrou and acting like nothing had happened as we practically replaced everything that had once been there before the four of us returned. "Doing nothing will land us in the same place we were when we got back, Chico. If I stop doing what I am, I'll let everyone down and the Magic Council will find some way to replace us with some other guild that will destroy what little we have left! This time..." I fell silent, looking to the side as I felt my loving wife holding me in her arms.

"It doesn't have to be that way, Laxus. We're not out of options yet and we're certainly not trapped between a rock and a wall. You're overworking yourself under the delusion that if you don't they'll be disappointed or let down but you couldn't be any farther from the truth than you are right now." Were her consoling words as I fought back the tears fighting to leave my eyes.

With a shake of the head, I said seriously, "No, I'm not. Don't you see? It's not about letting Tenrou down or looking for their approval, it's about keeping us afloat and staying above the surface instead of breaking the boat repeatedly! Fairy Tail ran itself into the ground and only Gramps knew about it but he didn't tell anyone. There's no way I'm going to let that happen again."

"But," She began as her voice rose, letting go of me to stand in front of me and counter. "If you overwork yourself you'll end up doing just that! You're tired nearly all the time and you barely sleep anymore because of your night terrors. Sleep helps the body recover from damage and you're shoving it aside to do more damage to yourself! Doing this will only end up leading us to where Fairy Tail went."

"You've told me that before, but you haven't come up with an alternative so I can't do anything else!" I accused.

Looking at me incredulously and somewhat offendedly, she object. "I've tried but every time you shoot me down! How can I help you if you don't _let me_?!" A growl left my throat as I made to defend my position when I the sound of a fuse being lit. Thanks to my Dragon Lacrima being fixed properly, my senses were enhanced and because of that I caught the scent of gunpowder which got me to react immediately.

"Lightning Dragon's Release!" I shouted. Quick as lightning my body grew in size, my arms grew scales, and I acted as a barrier between the incoming explosion and my wife when it blew. With an ear-busting BANG our door and front-facing wall was obliterated, smoke and dust filled the air and jagged pieces of brick pierced my scaleless back which was met with an understandable shout of-"DAMN IT THAT HURTS!"

"Laxus!" Chico said worriedly, moving to help, before my body became lightning itself and I got us to our bedroom. "Whose decision was it to blow up our door?!" She asked half-rhetorically since we both had a fair share of enemies.

Panting from the exertion of maintaining my Dragonified form for the first time in years, I grunted out aggressively, "Fuck if I know...but what I do know's that they're begging to get demolished!" As I said that, I reverted back to normal and let my inhibited electrical charge out to be usable. "Want to get your hands dirty or do you want to sit back while I deal with them?"

"Whoever's here just blew up my home's door, caused my husband pain and interrupted us in the middle of a discussion; I'm not letting any of them leave without paying for what they've done!" Just saying that, several spirits manifested around her before she made a 'charge forth and destroy' gesture which was followed by the spirits doing so and causing the screams and shouts of whoever had the gall to attack us in our own home!

 **Scene change**

Velka's crows soared through the Painted World of Ariamis that Titanore, Flann, Folfy, Hecate, Nito, Kukul and Hayten had worked to craft for my twin daughters, Pralli and Yaksh. Looking to me with eyes fighting a losing battle against tears, Hayten and Nito unwrapped my infantile, twin darlings from the carries they had over their backs. From behind Velka and I came our other children, Slairo, Dolin, Chu and Vere to whimper out their last goodbyes to their youngest, most innocent siblings whom they'd most definitely never see again.

"I don't want to do this, Qwy..." Velka said telepathically, one of her crows coming to land on my should with a look of self-restraint. "I _can't_ do this! They're our children and you intend to leave them here all alone without ever knowing the love of their parents?!"

Before I could defend my position with a heavy heart and a great desire to do something else, Kukul spoke up in my stead. "And force them through the alternative of living hidden from the rest of the gods, the people, the _world?_ Even you know our options are limited, Velka. None of us want to do this and none of us are even remotely agreeing with this choice but there are so few options we can't even have our cake without it being bad!"

Flann picked up after her, conviction in his eyes as he clenched his clawed fist to the point of his entire hand broke instantly. "Say you keep them safe, happy and away from the rest of the world, what happens if and when the others discover their existence? Fight off several pantheons-worth of gods only to die with all of your children suffering the same fate? Sending the twins away to one of us where we can't keep a watchful eye over them every moment? _Ending their suffering yourselves?!_ No! We made this place for them to grow, live and flourish amongst the rest of the world's outcasts and the things the other gods fear."

"But they could die here all on their own!" Velka countered, the crow she spoke through cawing indignantly.

"They could die anywhere even when under our protection." Hecate said calmly, guilt in her eyes for what she had played a part in. "Here they can be raised, nurtured and cared for by your servants and kept under your constant watch without arousing suspicion among the other gods. If they're here, no humans can get to them and as long as no one gets looselipped, no gods will come here to harm them. Without their parents, although a heartwrenching and sad existence, they're safer than they would be with all of us combined."

As Velka made to argue, Folfy came through the entrance behind us and said warningly, "We don't have much time. Giftwrap your goodbyes up and let's get out of here before anybody starts admiring the portraits!" I nodded with a shudder, coming to stand in front of Nito and Hayten to hold my precious daughters one, last time before we left to resume our duties as deities. Velka's crow fluttered from my shoulder down to the ground, morphing into the woman I'd marry several millennium later. Taking them from my arms, she held them close with tears falling from her cheeks and sobs escaping her normally composed voice.

My other children came to hold the twins as well, each one careful not to disturb or hurt their youngest siblings. Next came Kukul, Hecate, Flann, Titanore and finally Folfy, each bestowing upon them a memento gift unique to them as gods. As we finished saying our farewells, we heard the sounds of creatures approaching only to find misshapen, abominable and disturbing beings coming through to their new sanctuary and home where they would be safe and they'd know no discrimination or segregation.

Here, they would be happy. Last to enter the Painted World of Ariamis were the crow demons, humans who had aligned themselves to Velka and were shunned by the rest of humanity for it. Velka's worshipers would be the ones to raise, nurture and care for our twins, Pralli and Yaksh.

 **Waking world**

Coming to with a minor start, Laxus found himself leaning against a wall in the guildhall with everything going about as it usually did. _What was that dream? A fantasy of some sort or a side effect of my Lacrima losing power?_ As his guildmates went about their business, Laxus noticed a stunning lack of mischievous giggling or vengeful roaring. _Where could they be?_ He thought to himself, getting his answer soon after when the two First Generation Dragon Slayers met in the center of the guild with their attacks clashing.

" **Wux geou xikin ihk xurwkir diwhaf di ve!** " Gajeel roared, his face being punished with a talon-like punch to the face.

Wendy, ducking under a punch to the face, snarled out, " **Wux mirjala ekess qe xurwka diwhaf di ihk wintektorir sia bautwael vur thurirl!** " Instead of being hit by a fist, a clawed and boot-wearing foot struck her right in the face, leaving them both frozen in place before falling onto their respective asses and holding their faces while whimpering like pitiful children who had just learned what running into a wall feels like.

Earnest, mirthful chuckles were heard echoing within the guild's walls, getting the newer members of Fairy Tail to tense up with their spells readied for combat. "Old memories linger, children." Makarov said vaguely. "'Even if you forget the name, face and voice of the person, their memories linger like ghosts unwilling to die until those who remember them and those who remember those who remember them have passed. It's a sad thought, truly, but it is one that we live with everyday.'- Nearing Dawn...Truly a poetic genius."

The chuckling was vaguely female and soft, sounding unnaturally kind to those who hadn't heard it before. As if a presence were near them-a real person-they felt the breath of a human being against their necks which received snarls and hisses from the two primal mages in the guild. With a shake of his head, Laxus strode out of the guild unnoticed by his bodyguards while Wendy and Gajeel stood back-to-back with serious expressions on their faces.

 _If I stay any longer in there I'll go nuts with Gajeel and Wendy freaking out._ Strolling a fair distance until he was in the forest in and around Magnolia, he stopped and sighed in relief as a content grin grew on his face. It had been so long since he'd been in this forest alone. Listening to the forest animals going about their business and the wind rustling the leaves had been something he'd never realized he had missed from training in this forest. Birds flew above the trees and rabbits scampered across the the ground laced with roots.

Had it really been so long since he could hear the wilderness singing its lullaby to his listening ears, he would probably have forgotten what it felt like to be surrounded by nature and alone to hear its voice. But it hadn't been as long as it felt. It had only been three years ago. The year he had gone off on a job with his bodyguards and one of his guildmates had died. Happy and Natsu's stubborn denial of Lisanna's death was heart-wrenching for the rest of the guild.

A few days after he had gotten back and found out Natsu had nearly destroyed Magnolia, the pyrovore had been in complete denial of his mate having ever gone missing.

 **Flashback: 3 years ago, a couple days after Laxus & co.'s job, Fairy Tail guildhall**

Regaling his grandfather with the details of the job he and his bodyguards had been on with a disinterested, underwhelming attitude. It was Elfman's explanatory, slow speech to Natsu that brought his attention to the pink-haired knucklehead. "Natsu," Elfman said in a tone that resembled a parent explaining their pet's death to their young child. "The Beast overpowered me and beat Mirajane. Mira and I could barely fed it off and Lisanna was even more exhausted then the two of us combined. It was merciless and left nothing behind...She's not coming back."

"Of course she's coming back, Elfman," Natsu said with a shake of the head and a naive chuckle. "This is her home and where her friends and family are, why wouldn't she come back?"

Sighing softly with guilt and small tears in his eyes, the large man looked to the ground before trying again. "The Beast was merciless, Natsu, and Mira and I barely made it out of that alive. Lisanna didn't come back and she isn't coming back because the Beast left nothing of her!" He said this seriously, desperate to make the Dragon Slayer understand with his hands holding the fire-eater's shoulders firmly yet gently. "She isn't coming back. She hasn't come back. She didn't go on another job and she certainly couldn't have survived the Beast's cruelty. It hurt her so badly her body was destroyed and we couldn't even prepare a proper burial because it was so evil."

Mirajane, arm in a cast and sling, shook her head with tears in her eyes and a hand covering her mouth to stop the sobs from escaping. Natsu's obliviousness was unbelievable not to mention heartbreaking. The love of his life and his son's mother was dead, no cadaver left to be buried and he was so crushed he couldn't even admit she hadn't come back from the job to stop the Beast. The fact that Elfman, the most honest and compassionate man in their guild, couldn't get through to him was shocking and even more of a stab at the heart.

What made it even more tragic was that Happy was in the room as Elfman tried to disillusion Natsu and was listening to everything being said without blinking. The poor cat was silent, eyes devoid of their normal glimmer of joy and lively light. All that could be seen in those eyes, those innocent, devastated eyes, was a heartbroken emptiness that couldn't be filled.

"If she's dead than how come she's right there?" Natsu asked in honest confusion and smug pride as he and his son embraced the young woman they both loved. " **Sia rumag vur sia itov,** **wux tepoha confn spical ekess sia jirai svaklar wux re tokeq vur nishka agantal qe! Fronah naktada yentair wux jahen loex-hehehe-ui batobot ti repaiup?!** " He said this while embracing the woman in the doorway, getting everyone to blink in shock before they looked back to see that Elfman hadn't moved and that Mirajane was nowhere to be seen, hinting at why they were seeing a dead member of their guild.

"Why are you so quiet, Lis-mama?" Happy asked, getting a loving smile in response as she scratched behind his ears and under his chin, making him purr. And the gig was up when Natsu kissed his mate on the lips and held her tightly in his arms.

"OW! Natsu, my arm hurts!" 'Lisanna' said as she broke the kiss before removing herself from Happy and Natsu's now confused and loving embraces to hold her arm in pain when the transformation faded to reveal Mirajane, looking to the stunned and betrayed-looking Natsu and Happy. "I'm sorry for doing that but I couldn't think of anything else to help you realize that Lisanna isn't coming back! Please, you have to understand," She pleaded desperately, getting Happy's eyes to water and his ears to fold back as he began to cry while Natsu's fists clenched and his teeth bared.

"You would impersonate your own sister-my mate and my son's mother-just to deceive a child and his father..." A dangerous snarl left his lips. "...You...you..." Everyone around them was ready to jump into action in case Natsu went rabid again. " **YOU BITCH! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO COME BACK WHILE SHE DIDN'T?! WHY COULDN'T YOU HAVE TAKEN THE BEAST'S WRATH?! YOU KNEW SHE WAS EXHAUSTED AND YET STILL YOU DIDN'T STOP HER FROM TRYING TO APPEASE TO A MONSTER'S NONEXISTENT GOOD NATURE?! IF YOU HADN'T _LET HER_ PUT HERSELF IN HARM'S WAY, SHE WOULD STILL BE ALIVE AND WE WOULDN'T BE IN THIS MESS! SO WHY ARE YOU STILL ALIVE WHEN SHE ISN'T IF YOU, HER SISTER-HER FLESH AND BLOOD-WANTED TO PROTECT HER AS MUCH AS YOU SAY?!** " Fire engulfed the firebreather, his son's tears and sobs not placating him as his eyes leaked bloody tears and his flames were licked with black. " **KII TIRAWUX TI LOREAT PERSVEK JACIONIV GOAWY?!** "

It was that final roar that made Mirajane cry her guilty, nearing-death tears as Natsu lunged to destroy the woman he saw as his mate's murderer!

 **Flashback end**

That day had been horrible for everyone. Natsu had lost his delusion of his mate's eventual safe return and his faith in Mirajane's love for her sister. From that day Natsu hadn't looked his sister-in-law in the eye, seeing the act as a betrayal to his beloved and a sign that he trusted the woman who had betrayed his own and his son's trust. It really wrenched at the heartstrings of anybody when that day was thought of. _There has to be a way he can be shown reason...and if he sees reason, so will Happy._

However, Natsu was stubborn and was primal even when his mate placated his wrath. There wasn't any gentle way of showing him reason and showing him the light he so desperately needed. And, as everyone knew, light was what lead humans to greatness and was always benevolent. "So the great Laxus Dreyar can't handle his own guildmates, hm?" Came a calm, unhurried voice belonging to a petite, dark-skinned young woman of long blonde hair and a round face. Not even bothering to turn, Laxus knew the young woman wore an orange cat hat and a pink and purple vest with a suspender zipped up as well as the word 'MONSTER' on the chest. Dark shorts and a pair of long black boots that reached up to her knees were what hid her modesty from perverts spying around Fairy Tail's guildhall. As always, she wore a sleeveless, white shirt underneath her vest. To finish her unique look, she wore a chain necklace that went through a feather-looking metal ring around her neck. Chico=C=Hammitt was the name of this lovely young woman.

He didn't answer her but instead just closed his eyes and allowed his other senses to overwhelm him. As his eyelids closed, he saw only darkness. In it moved things that couldn't be comprehended by his mortal mind or senses, which suited his needs just fine. It was the smell of rain approaching, the sound of his and Chico's breathing, the feeling of the wind blowing past him and the 'taste' of being alive that he needed. Opening his eyes slowly to ease his senses back into their default sensitivity, he exhaled a calmed, contented and pleased breath of air.

A smile graced his lips when he found himself staring into his-unknown to him-secret admirer's dark benitoite eyes which gazed into his patiently. He didn't know when he'd turned around to face her or if he had ever been looking away from her to begin with, but he was glad that-if he wasn't facing her before-he was now. The sun's light shined through the leaves of the tree she stood in the shade of, glinting off of her necklace although not in his eyes and showing him how her dark skin complemented her round face framed by light straw blonde hair.

It wasn't incredibly early in the day but it was still an hour or two before noon, and the early daylight really gave her a stunning, mysterious atmosphere which begged him to explore. Her eyes didn't stop looking into his even as he took in her entire being. On her shoulders were two spirits which bobbed and weaved about in place, their eyes empty of any intelligence or comprehension. "I just needed some time away from the warring dragons and the memories..." Laxus said quietly, his words barely above a whisper.

"Understandable."

"What are you doing out here? Won't your spirits leave you if you take a step out of Magnolia?" He asked offhandedly.

With a nod, she simply said, "I'm still within Magnolia's boundaries, sir."

Confused, an eyebrow rose as he asked, "What's with the 'sir'? My name's Laxus and I'm not some government official or a soldier. Just call me by name, Chico. We're guildmates, not strangers."

Unbeknownst to him, his words made the woman before him blush out of excitement that her secret crush knew her name and that he wanted her to call him by his. "O-okay...Laxus." He smiled at her acceptance of his request, getting her to blush even more and run off back to the guild.

 _What the?_

 **Unknown location**

"Should be here, Master?" Asked the Vermilion Serpent, his arms wrapped in bandages from a training accident and his face marred with stone dust. "I mean, we're in the most sacred site of our guild's predecessor! This is practically sacrilege, isn't it?" He wasn't wrong, either. Striding down the stairs with the other dragons of Dragon Arc, the Vermilion Serpent could see a glow at the end of the unlit tunnel. When they came to the chamber where the glowing was coming from, the most recent member of their guild was met with the sight of a girl encased in a huge, transparent crystal glowing a strong yet gentle violet. The girl inside had long pastel blonde hair and wing-like ornaments over her ears with loop earrings piercing her earlobes. Eyes closed, she looked so at peace and...happy.

"Normally," Wendy began, looking into her eventual successor's eyes from her position beside the crystal equivalent of a coffin. "You'd be right, Rik. But these circumstances aren't normal. I've told you that I'm going to have you take up the mantel after I retire, but I haven't decided when that'll be or if I'll be alive before I decide to retire so I'm showing her to you beforehand on the off-chance I'm bested in a fight."

Gulping down his discomfort at the feeling of being unwelcome in this girl's tomb, he asked in fearful awe, "Who is she?"

"The first Guildmaster of Fairy Tail, the Dark Witch and the Fairy Tactician...Mavis Vermilion. Her body remains with us even after all these years, acting as a source of nearly infinite magical power and basically unbreakable by any mortal means." Answered the Sky Sorceress before the same girl strode right past Wendy's side to stand in front of a now gaping in comedic fear Vermilion Serpent.

"Your words do me no justice, Wendy. I'm not the 'Dark Witch', but rather the Dark Wizard!" The girl said matter-of-factly, her voice sounding so real that the eventual successor to the current Guildmaster fell on his ass and started scooting as far away from the living dead girl in fear.

Vermilion Serpent pointed a shaky, uncertain hand at the living dead girl before him until she came closer, making him scoot away more and getting her to come closer to him. A few times was this cycle repeated until he was against the wall in fear, bandaged arms hiding his face from this defy-ment of nature when he felt soft hands on his wrapped arms inspecting them gently as if in fear of doing them harm. "Too much pain..." Muttered the girl, sorrow in her green, irisless orbs. "You've suffered too much pain to be wearing these meager bandages compared to what you've experienced."

"No wait!" He countered before the girl began unwrapping his arms of their protective layer, getting him to hiss a feral sound but he didn't resist her actions. Nearly finished unwrapping his arms of their gauze sleevage, she stared intently at the results of his magic having taken its toll on his body like those of the other Dragon Arc masters.

"I'm sorry this happened to you." She whispered, kneeling down and wrapping her arms around his neck as she hugged close to him, wishing she could help the eventual master of her disbanded guild's succession. "First there was Yuri's great-grandson. Black Steel came next...Then there was the Devourer...After him was Wendy and now...and now you...I feel so useless, being stuck in this damn Lacrima!"

A look of astonishment came across Vermilion Serpent's face. "What?"

"Mavis is an ethereal projection of her consciousness. Her ability to touch us and be visible to us is due to our guild stamp being that of Fairy Tail and with changes being made to it after the stamp has settled." Wendy piped up, getting a stunned look from her eventual successor.

"Seriously?!"

 **Unknown location**

(Cue: Adam Lambert-Better Than I Know Myself/Shinedown-State of my Head/Fallout Boys-Thanks for the Memories) Clawed paws left prints in the ground underneath, wings made minor flexes and tail swished behind. "I can feel your fury, dearest." Muttered a beautiful young woman.

"Who's this 'dearest' you talk about every time you come here in that getup?" Asked the elderly, blue furred fem-cat next to the woman staring out into the sky.

Sighing, the woman responded with a simple, "The man who stole my heart after I got too close to the task."

"You told me what your task was, but I'm still confused as to _why_ you got that close?"

Vulnerability entered the woman's eyes as she answered. "I didn't know what felt like and I'd never understood the...bliss of being as happy as I was-Hmp!" She suddenly started choking up, voice weak and eyes full of tears as she hugged herself in a desperate attempt to end the feeling of self-loathing.

"Oh, you've gone and done it again!" Said an elderly, white furred tom-cat from behind his mate. "Gotten her worked over someone who doesn't exist."

Slitted eyes narrowed at those words, a feral growl leaving the woman's throat as she declared stubbornly, "HE'S REAL, YOU HEAR?!" Her words were met a feline snarl that was interrupted by a loud roar from the woman.

"ENOUGH!" Shouted a red-haired warrior wielding a large spear, riding atop a great winged beast. "IT'S TIME WE ENDED THIS CHARADE, BLIZZARD BEAST!" Releasing a cry of despair at being addressed by her title, the white-haired woman took to the air with claws readied and sadness freezing her heart.

The clash of spear against claws was accompanied by the Blizzard Beast's voice. "You know we're equally matched, Knightwalker. Even if you kill me, you'll have never been the one to kill _all_ of this world's Fairy Tail mages. Can you live with yourself," She asked before exhaling a plume of freezing mist, getting Knightwalker's steed to veer away from the irregular source of cold. "Knowing you're carrying a title you didn't earn and can't have the pride to truly own up to? Are you just going to-"

"SILENCE, WENCH!" Screamed out the redheaded warrior. Her spear changed form and shot out a blast of energy, hitting her opponent right through her left wing with a shriek of pain resounding afterwards. "YOU DON'T KNOW A DAMNED THING ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO EARN A FUCKING THING!"

Falling from the sky, her foe asked audibly, "Oh don't I?" A glow engulfed the woman before fading to reveal instead of a draconic-looking lady, there was now a white and red-banded armadillo which proceeded to curl up into a ball and start rolling around the spirallic arena they had chosen as their battlefield. The armadillo rolled off the floating plots of land and found her way to a deserted island in this cloudless sky before transforming into a scantily clad woman garbed like a white-tiger-pattern swimsuit model with feline features. "My magic is self-sufficient and I'm free to use it whenever I wish thanks to...my despisable qualities." She said the last part as a mutter of self-loathing.

Her beast crashed down onto the island, her spear piercing its wings and body, before Knightwalker ran for her opponent with the intent of murder. "I'LL NEVER STOP HUNTING YOU DOWN UNTIL YOU'RE DEFEATED BY MY HANDS, BITCH! How long it takes doesn't matter as long as I win and you're dead." Spearhead morphed into a claw-like extension, she thrust her weapon forward only for her eternal rival to stop the blow with the palm of her paw-hand, causing her eyes to widen in frightened shock as tears of denial made their way into her eyes.

"Huuh...Erza," Lisanna said chastisingly. "You'll never beat me if you're this arrogant and you never train. Which is why," She emphasized her point by flexing her clawed paw and making the center of the talon-like spear to bend unnaturally with the sound of metal being forced out of place coming with it. " _YOU'RE OUT OF YOUR LEAGUE!_ " Came her final roar, eyes ablaze with passionate fury, as she crushed the spearhead using only a single paw.

Erza's cry could be heard for miles. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Dropping to her knees with her spear following her uselessly, Erza Knightwalker saw the woman of Earthland pad right past her, no words being spoken between the silent animal-woman and the whimpering in defeat knightess. "WHY CAN I NEVER BEAT YOU, YOU WHORE?!"

The woman stopped and turned to her foe sharply, slitted eyes narrowed dangerously as they met those of the bested warrior. "Because I'm fighting for a way home and you're fighting only for your damned pride! You've nothing weighing on your actions besides your title and your self-esteem, both of which shouldn't be based on the ideology of others. And just to set you straight," She turned her entire body to make a single leap onto her enemy, grabbing her by the throat with her large paw and getting gasps of fearful desperation in response, her eyes boring into those of the terrified warrior. "I'm no whore I'm A MOTHER AND A WIFE!"

The roar she emitted was primal, furious and full of so much anger it made the warrior in her paw feel nothing less than inferiority. Her rage was sucked right out of her and all that was left was frightened emptiness when she felt her ass land on the dirt. "Now you're going to do what I say before I decide to end your life like the run-of-the-mill prey you are..." Vengeful anger was all that remained in the Blizzard Beast's eyes when the world around them zoomed out of focus and visibility. (Uncue)

 **With Natsu**

" **Caesin Darastrix...VEBREN!** " A twister of leaves and air escaped the brown and blue-haired boy's roaring mouth. " **W** **ux geou zahhar ihk majakir mojka hesi irthos tangis sjek wux re jacioniv cep!** "

" **Svabol?! SVAKLAR UI SIA DEEVDRU!** " Natsu roared as demand, getting only a few dark chuckles from his enemy before he released one last roar.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

That's a wrap ladies, gents an' other! We've got Knightwalker being threatened into servitude and it seems like a certain pair of mages are going to be getting to know each other soon...Anyways, I'm setting up a few more subplots that're probably gonna take a while to be fullfilled but I'll get 'round to it at some point. Our favorite pyrovore's gonna be preoccupied for a bit as well so we might get a few interesting chapters soon. Not much to say but as always: thanks for bein' here, R&R, no flamin' my ass, constructive criticism an' SEE YA-G'NIGHT!


	24. Compassion is pain we pretend is bliss

Whaz up ladies, gents an' other! Shall we see our characters' interactions amongst each other?! (I can English, Is telling you the truph!)

 _Thoughts or emphasis_

'Paraphrasin'

"Normal speech"

" **Inhuman** **speech** "

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

The day was still young and the entire guild was submerged in Juvia. Correction: the upper floor was submerged in Juvia with the bottom floor being left untouched by a single drop of the liquid mage's mass. (*My lungs suddenly fill up with liquid, killing me for the time being*) "You dried me in the sunlight..." Came a warbled Juvia's voice as an upside-down version of her casual form manifested on the surface of her liquid mass. "Now pay in full!" Inside of her mass was a dying Bora of Provinence, his lungs filling with his ex-girlfriend and his body being tossed around like a ragdoll.

Gajeel and Wendy were trading fists, their bodies bruised and their wills unwavering as Gray was being given some tips by Juanda. "Eat when possible and use as little of your magic as able because you never know when you'll eat again. Also, could you stop your fangirl from drowning my best bet at a continuation of my tribe?"

"Sure!" Gray turned to stare up into Juvia's mass, "Hey, can you not kill him? We need him alive!" The liquid mage heard him, he knew she was incapable of not hearing his voice, but he noticed how she didn't stop drowning Bora of Prominence he made a call. "Juvia, I know you can hear me and I'd like you to know I'm sorry!" Punching the palm of his hand, he started to form a pillar of ice towards his fangirl with a fist cocked for Bora who was close to the surface closest to him.

"Sorry for what, my lo-!" The upside-down form of Juvia couldn't finish that statement before Gray's freezing cold hand was plunged into her mass, grabbing Bora's outstretched hand as the water surrounding him began to freeze. "No...HE CAN'T BE GIVEN LEEWAY FOR WHAT HE DID TO ME!" Her personification went to slice off Bora's arm, the connection between Juvia's total mass and the personification being her downfall as the human form of Juvia froze into a statue long enough for Gray to yank his guildmate out of the iceberg he'd made of his other guildmate.

Bora gasped in pain when he hit the ground after bouncing a table, his lungs greedily taking in oxygen when he received an gut-wrenching kick to the stomach, knocking the wind back out of his lungs and taking his consciousness with it.

 **Unknown Location**

A white-haired young woman was staring into the clouded, island-filled sky she occupied, her heart aching and her soul screaming for her to take a leap into death. _None of them would want to lose me! I can't make them hurt even if I'm in more-_ "AHHH!" She crumpled to her knees, an animalistic apparition trying to escape her body before being pulled back in forcefully with a gasp escaping her lungs. "Damn, that hurts like Hell! My husband's no doubt hurting just as much...I'd better go before anyone detects the magicka I just released." Finished speaking, she was engulfed in a glow that faded to reveal she had was now wearing a skimpy swimsuit with wings and a tail sprouting from her body. _Off the ground and to the skies again, Lisanna. You've done this a hundred times over and since it's a few minutes from dusk, you can go to sleep when you get back and remember better days...and nights!_

Not long after she left her special place, a pair of armored women landed on the island she used as her place to think. "Not far, General. Hardly a mile away at most..." Growled out the canid-looking woman, getting her red haired companion to smile.

"Thank you, Lieutenant. Your assistance will be of much use today. Let's be off before it gets too dark!"

"Yes, ma'am." With that said, they climbed onto their steeds and took off in the direction of their quarry.

Their quarry was right now flying towards her guild hall, the weight it carried on her shoulders greater than that of any other mage's. Turning her head to the side slightly, her slitted eyes caught sight of the Fairy Hunter and the Skiss Hound riding great steeds after her. _Damn it! I can't let them find the guild or everything I've been fighting for will have been for nothing!_ A plan formed in her mind as she thought these things, getting her to smirk before abruptly folding her wings and dropping towards the source of gravity. Air blasted at her face, hair flailing wildly as tears left her dust-filling eyes at the knowledge she couldn't accept the fate she so desperately craved.

Behind her were her pursuers, diving after her like she were some form of game that would reward them great appraisal. They never expected her to open her wings and elevate to a position behind them long enough to dive back down, knock the Skiss Hound unconscious and ram the Fairy Hunter's steed with the one she currently rode into an island.

"Damn it," cried an indignant Erza Knightwalker as she was pummeled by the ground and rubble that resulted from their steeds' collision with the island.

"KNIGHTWALKER!" Looking to the woman calling her, the Fairy Hunter beheld her Lieutenant's throat in her quarry's grasp. "I distinctly remember telling you to come alone..." Lisanna's words were followed by the now awoken woman in her grasp yelping like a scared puppy as her hold tightened around her throat. "So why is it," She said demandingly. "That you brought this bitch a month before the time to meet at the rendezvous point?!" Her grip tightened, getting the canid woman to flail about, her legs a foot from the ground and her blows leaving no effect.

Erza's response was to grit her teeth and morph her repaired, claw-like spear, erecting a pipe in between the claws before they became smaller pipes, all with a faint glow emitting from within. "Forgive me, Lieutenant." She muttered before crying out, "Million Suns!" From those pipes spewed a multitude of blasts of energy, heading directly for the Skiss Hound and the Blizzard Beast.

Lisanna growled as she spread her wings and took to the skies once more, the weight from her hostage weighing her down enough that a few of the shots hit their mark hard enough to knock her out of the sky. The landing wasn't as damaging as the Fairy Hunter would've liked but her Lieutenant was quick to the draw. Pulling a complex-designed, double-barrel pistol from a hidden holster, the Skiss Hound took aim at her captor and pulled the trigger. Lisanna, disheveled from the landing, only had a couple of seconds to react, which she took with the grace and speed of a trained soldier. With a quick handstand, cartwheel and a swift land after a flip, Lisanna's feet found their way onto the tanned woman's large chest, receiving a gasp from the woman and a dropping of the firearm. Said weapon was immediately confiscated and used to absorb the incoming blasts.

"Blizzardvern's Immoral Grace!" As she said that, a blast from Erza was met with a vacuum that absorbed the energy and quickly returned it ten-times as powerful, sending the captain a fair distance before recovering and being met with a livid Lisanna's fist to the throat. "Why'd you think that bringing Millianna with you would make me go easy on you or give you an edge?" Lisanna asked as Erza laid on the ground, gasping for precious air and fighting to remain conscious. "You're a captain of a military group and _you_ can't take me down on your own, what makes you think a lieutenant will fair any better? Sure, you have help and cannonfodder, but that doesn't mean you're bound for victory if it's your subordinate who's unaware of what she's facing!"

Her words were followed by a strong kick to the gasping captain's stomach, getting her to vomit up her lunch. "Didn't I tell you that you're fighting for something that carries no real weight to it?!" She stomped on Erza's back, getting her to whimper as she gasped for air from the onslaught to her midsection. "I'm not being as harsh as my husband would be to you, but I'm starting to think of throwing away my morality to put you in the dirt where you belong, you foul worm!" A glow engulfed her for a moment before leaving her in a skimpy outfit with white tiger stripes and feline extensions, giving her an idea as she 'lightly' stomped her paw down on Erza's face.

"Don't you dare call her a worm, you whore!" The no-longer gasping Millianna declared, getting Lisanna to give her the look of a beast possessed by a being from Hell, shutting her up and getting her to whimper like the terrified dog she was. But that wasn't good enough for the soul-wounded woman before them. Moving away from Erza, quickly morphing her discarded spear back to its original form to pin the Fairy Hunter to the ground, Lisanna strode slowly towards the whimpering Millianna.

"You know something, Millianna?" Asked the Blizzard Beast. "My family was a military one, so my siblings and I were trained from the age of five on how to defend ourselves. When our abilities surfaced, our training intensified so we could carry on the family tradition of ascending the ranks of the military to become generals. But that's water under the bridge now, so you must be wondering why I seem so much more and more threatening with every step I take towards you." Each step she took towards Millianna left the impression of a feline pawprint in the soil. "Well, I'll tell you: It's because cats and dogs are polar opposites, giving them a Balance that's kept easily with some hating and some loving each other. The Balance is stable, but you're not because you know your place on the food chain is below mine, and that's leaving you a sniveling, whimpering mess!" Reaching her destination, Lisanna lazily yet purposefully raised a paw and stroked Millianna's cheek, getting the already terrified dog-woman to lose all control of her body and have a seizure while simultaneously losing control of her excretory organs which got Lisanna's nose to wrinkle in disgust.

 _Natsu,_ She thought guiltily. _What would you say if you saw me now? Would you strike me down in disgust of what I've done or would you do everything in your power to fix what's been done?_ Breaking her from her thoughts, she chose to show some form of humanity by using her large paws to keep Millianna's head from hitting the ground so she wouldn't crack her skull or anything of the like. Erza's eyes were on her, she knew, staring at her in confusion and fear of what she was doing. _At least Erza's stopped struggling so much, that should make my job at least a tiny bit easier..._ Seeing Millianna's seizure had passed, Lisanna let go of her head and strode over to the Edolas Royal Army Captain of the 2nd Magic War Division.

"What do you want, Blizzard Beast? What game are you playing at?!" Demanded the pinned Erza Knightwalker.

A smirk came to Lisanna's face, "She's really beautiful. I can see why you two are sleeping together." The shock on Erza's face was priceless, but it was her realization that she was still pinned that was even more priceless. "To answer your questions, Erza," She began softly, lowering herself so she was able to see into the captain's eyes easier. "I want back home, to Earth, and I'm playing the game of life. The very game you're losing without even knowing it. Either way, don't try to follow me if you want to live. Millianna won't be able to find my scent without suffering from PTSD and you're bullshit at tracking prey. Good morning to you and a good riddance!" That said, she was engulfed in light again to reveal her wings and tail before she took off into the skies.

Once she knew Erza couldn't see her, she made her way to the frigid northern edge of the charted territory belonging to the humans and Exceed. Ever since the human king, Faust, had outlawed mage guilds due to the ever-decreasingly finite magicka, Fairy Tail had gone into hiding, resisting the king's decree and therefore making them a dark guild. And their status as a dark guild made them the target for hunting parties lead primarily by the Fairy Hunter, Captain Erza Knightwalker, and the Skiss Hound, Lieutenant Millianna Cadinae. (Cadinae: Cad-in-ay)

Because of this status, the guild's first course of action was to relocate to somewhere the hunting parties wouldn't think to look due to the amount of magicka required and the hostile environment. Approaching a fog bank after several kilometers of flight, Lisanna tucked her wings in and dived through it, knowing the terrain like it were of her own construction. The floating iceberg field was merely a minor detour for her these days, barely requiring a dodge or a roll after she'd dug through them enough for there to be openings large enough for her to dive through without there being a risk of any injury or pursuers catching up to her.

Diving into and out of the first dozen icebergs, the hidden pathway she'd made for herself came into view, getting her to wrap herself in her wings before diving one last time to slide through the little cavern she'd made, with ease. Even though magicka was difficult to come by these days and none of the humans could generate mana like they could on Earth, certain properties remained untouched. One of these properties was that certain creatures generated mana and magicka without any intense need or effort. Wyverns and their sub-breeds were such creatures, and even though she was merely using Take-Over Magic, she still generated mana and magicka enough to use her spells as well as share it amongst her guildmates.

After all, what kind of guildmaster would she be if she didn't provide for her family? "I see you've returned, Master." Said a chipper Mirajane Strauss, noting the bruises and scratches her sister had on her back and wings. "What happened while you were out?" Asked the Edolas counterpart of Lisanna's older sister, her tone of voice remaining the same though Lisanna knew what she was referring to.

"The Fairy Hunter and the Skiss Hound found me." Said the young guildmaster, rising from her belly-slide position. "We got into a scuffle, but I'll live. I just need some rest, is all." Standing to her full height, she wrapped her wings around her shoulders, making it look like a cape of a cloak when she brought up the cowl Mirajane handed her. "How's everyone holding up?"

Mira merely shook her head sadly, knowing her sister cared more about others than herself. "They're holding, although the generator's having issues again and Levy can't figure out what's wrong with it."

Nodding, Lisanna let out a frustrated, visible sigh of mist. "Of course it is, it's made from the spare parts of an automobile, legion armor and the scraps from an airship crash!"

"Even so," Mira countered, rubbing her little sister's wings tenderly, getting Lisanna to flinch somewhat at the sudden contact and warmth of her sister. "We're holding up better than we could have if we staid put near Louen."

Lisanna bowed her head tiredly, sadly, guiltily. "Yeah, except all of you wouldn't be freezing to death and desperate to find food..."

Hearing her sister belittle her actions and chock them up as a failure, Mira said defiantly. "Just because your accident changed you, doesn't mean we're not willing to follow your orders-"

"Out of fear!" Lisanna said with shrug away from her big sister's hands sharply, getting her to wince as her sister's hand found its way onto onto one of her more sensitive wounds. "All of you listen because I'm the only one who took charge since Lucy wouldn't, Mystogan wouldn't and because I came back as a freak! Look at me!" She said, spreading her wings and internally wincing at the look her sister gave her. "I can't wear anything besides this cowl anymore. I can't sit down properly without either someone stepping on my tail or having to curl it and feel cramped up. The other's don't know the extent of my changes and neither do I!"

"That's enough, Lisanna!" Mirajane said sternly, getting her sister to stare at her in surprise of the sudden assertiveness before she was caught in a hug. "Just because you're stuck wearing only your small clothes and a cowl, just because your extensions make getting close to your person a little bit harder, and just because none of us know the extent of your changes doesn't mean we don't love you for who you are. And that especially means that we're not following your orders out of fear!" She said all of this fiercely, hugging her baby sister close to her large bust and larger heart.

"How can you say that you're not following my orders out of fear when you don't even know if my orders will get you killed or not?" She asked stiffly, eyes hidden by her cowl as she fought off tears though not just for the reason her sister thought. _What am I going to do? Faust opens his Anima whenever he his machine has enough power since it takes about three months to recharge, so I could go home soon...but can I leave this Fairy Tail to freeze to death? We're low on supplies, moral and power, so that leaves us with less than a week before we run out completely and everyone starts dying unless Dragion's airship's operational again which I highly doubt._

"Because," Mirajane said honestly, innocently. "I trust you and everyone else does, as well." Her words struck a cord in Lisanna's heart, making it ache even more with guilt than it already did.

Wrapping her left arm around her sister, she rose the back of her right hand to her brow while her wings wrapped around the slightly shorter, heavy-dress wearing woman before her. _Damn it, Mirajane, why'd you have to say that?! Now my decision's even harder than it already is...Alright, Lisanna, focus. I've been checking the supplies and the rate at which it depletes so that gives us a bit of a headstart on the calculations. Bisca's with child so she's eating more than she normally would which makes this a little sketchier, but we've pulled through worse._

"Mira," Lisanna said with her voice and resolve as guildmaster faltering. "I'm sorry for being a bother about this stuff right now, but it's been a long night and I'm tired..." She bit her lip to fight off her tears of guilt and despair, all the while her sister nodded into her neck understandingly.

"Alright, Master. Let's go to bed and take a look at those-" Mirajane's arm moved a couple inches lower and Lisanna winced violently, getting her to look down and find a bullethole in her midsection with blood leaking unhindered from it. "We need to get to the infirmary, now!"

"No-"

"Don't argue with me, Lisanna! You're bleeding and there might be a bullet in your side, so now's not the time to look tough!" Her stern tone received a dejected, resigned bow of the head as she clutched her side while Mirajane lead her towards the infirmary, waving anyone who was still awake to the side to get her sister some medical attention.

Reaching the infirmary without any real trouble, they found Elfman washing his hands in the only warm water in the guild for the moment. "Elfman!" Mira said worriedly, getting her brother to turn and find his sisters, one clutching her side in pain and the other with a look of fear in her eyes.

"Get her onto one of the beds and I'll take a look." He said professionally. Ever since Porlyusica went missing, Elfman had taken up the mantle of medical adviser which had actually saved some members of the guild a few times. "What happened?"

"I got into a fight with the Fairy Hunter and the Skiss Hound, one of which carried this pistol." Pulling the pistol out from under the side strap of her underwear, she handed it to a minutely-hesitant Elfman who inspected it carefully.

"Damn it," He said, pulling out a few of the bullets to find they were coated with a familiar substance. "These bullets are made of lead, big shock, but they're coated in mercury and a potent reptile tranquilizer. We need to remove the bullet and flush all of the toxins out of your body, stat!" He quickly brought over a light and a few tools he'd used to remove bullets from his guildmates' bodies. "Mirajane, you don't want to be here for this and I need to focus so please leave the room, lock the door and try to keep everybody out until I'm finished. Alright?" His big sister merely nodded, worry written on her face as she gave her young siblings a final glance before doing as her brother said.

 **7 hours later**

The guild was bustling but not in an overly-loud sense like it normally was. Mirajane had let everybody know what was going on and had done her best to distract herself for the past few hours, glancing over to the infirmary every once and awhile anxiously. Before she could start stressing herself out more since she'd done all of the things she usually took care of, a voice broke her from her silence. "Worrying about it won't help anything, Mira."

"What?" She asked, looking to see Wendy staring compassionately at her.

Sighing, the busty bluenette caressed her braided hair over her left shoulder. "Worrying about it isn't making it better, and all it does is make things worse on this end. Our guild's been having a rough time ever since your sister became guild master," She held up a hand to stop the barmaid from defending her sister. "But she's done better than any of us could have in general. Even though the accident's left her with a pair of wings, a tail and a pair of ornamental spikes near her ears, she's made the smartest choices for the good of everyone. We don't know what happened inside of her when she collided with that experimental Lacrima that broke during that fall, but we do know that it changed her into a powerful general and a compassionate guild master."

"You of all people should know that she's obviously not one to give up even when life throws shit at her and this won't change that about her." As soon as Wendy finished saying that, taking a sip of the coffee she'd heated up with some scrap wood they had, the lights flickered on. "Oh, that's going to do wonders for everybody."

"Alright," Levy said, coming out from the generator room with Jet and Droy at her sides, her huge wrench strapped to her back. "That should keep our lights on for a while. At the very least, long enough for Elfman to fix up the Chief."

"Speaking of which," Droy began. "How long has Elfman been at it? I know he's not great at jobs, but it shouldn't take too long to remove one, damn bullet!"

The moment he said that, Levy's wrench struck the back of his skull, causing a bump to form in the spot it hit. "If you'd listened, you'd know that it was a standard lead bullet which is bad enough as it is since the army's bullet dissolve in blood quickly and it was coated in mercury _and_ it had a potent reptile tranquilizer in it!" Her words were emphasized by another strike from the wrench to his head, knocking he and Jet out since Levy swung back too hard.

"Don't kill them, Levy." Lucy said, the smirk on her face being smug and condescending as she ate the half-frozen milk.

"Oh, and how would you tell shut them up?" She questioned rhetorically. "Squeeze your cow-tits around their faces until they did what you said out of desperation to pop their and your own cherries?!" Hearing that, Mirajane had to cover her mouth to hide her blush and stifle her laughter while a now-blushing Lucy Ashley did her damnedest to stop herself from choking on half-frozen milk.

"WHAT?!" She shrieked, her entire face a crimson as she literally butt heads with Levy. "YOU THINK I'D SETTLE FOR THE BONEHEADS YOU KEEP ON A TIGHT LEASH IN YOUR BEDROOM?!" That comment got the wrench-wielding Levy to create a new shade of red while the rest of the guild did their damnedest to stop themselves from laughing and disrupting Elfman's work.

 **Four hours later**

Everyone was on edge. Neither Lisanna or Elfman had left the infirmary in a total of eleven hours and it was finally starting to don on everyone what would happen if their guild master didn't make it. She did the reconnaissance and defended their territory from hunting parties that got too close to the large, constant fog bank their base was located in. Bringing back food was something she did her best to do without getting struck out of the sky and finding tools as well as any building materials she could salvage from the hunting parties.

Right now they had enough to get through a month or two since they had just started fishing and farming the plants from adjacent caverns where they'd stored the reproducible resources when they took refuge here. None of them had mentioned this to their guild master because she was dealing with enough shit as is and they didn't want to bother her while she worked through it, but they could only fish and farm for so long before they were found by the army or anything that might dwell within this uncharted area of the map.

When the infirmary door opened and Elfman came out slowly, everyone's breath caught in their throat as they awaited his diagnosis. He held a hand up to stop anyone from asking how she was as it was obvious he needed to collect himself, eyes puffy from fighting off tears for hours, hands caked in blood, breathing heavy and sweat drenching his hair. Leaning against the doorframe, he slid down slightly before catching himself and rising back to his full height.

He tapped at his chin silently in a gesture his sister recognized and brought a glass of water for him to drink, which he guzzled greedily before collecting himself. "I've finished the operation and before anyone else asks why it took so long, it's because the gun had gone off a second time with incredibly quick repetitive speed which is why I'm holding two semi-dissolved bullets instead of just one." To prove his point, he rose one of his hands to show a pair of semi-complete round shots caked with dried blood.

"As to whether or not she's okay, that's difficult to say-"

"THEN WHAT GOOD ARE YA?!" Jet interrupted, getting thwapped in the back of the head with Levy's wrench to shut him up.

Picking up where he left off, Elfman continued. "It's difficult to say, but what I can say is that she'll live." A collective sigh of relief was the response he received. "I'd feel that way too if not for the fact that I don't know how much of the mercury got into her system or how strong the reptile tranquilizer was to say when she'll wake up. She's sleeping right now, but I'd suggest against anybody going to-"

Mirajane didn't listen, pushing past him to see her baby sister caked with blood, her belly sewn shut and a bunch of Jerry-rigged equipment hooked up to her, keeping her stable no doubt. She stared in shock at what was before her, hand over her mouth with tears leaving her eyes as she backed out of the room to fall into the arms of a respectfully-quiet Reedus, whose chest she cried into as Elfman closed the door to the infirmary. "W-What did you do to her?!" Mirajane whimpered out.

"In order to get the lead and mercury out of her blood stream, I had to get the blood out of her and filter out the impurities which is what took so long. The first two-and-a-half hours were just to get the bullets out of her without damaging her internal system too drastically. Since we don't have anesthesia, the tranquilizer kept her from feeling any pain besides the incisions. As far as I can tell, she's mostly unconscious due to the tranquilizers. As long as the power doesn't go out, she'll remain stable and she should recover in time."

"How long are you thinking it will take for her to recover?" Reedus asked, still holding Mirajane, keeping his voice low out of respect.

"I'm not sure. Could only take a night but it could also take a week, seeing as I'm not familiar with 'demi-human' physiology and so I can't give a perfect estimate." He answered honestly, receiving an uncharacteristic pat on the back from Droy and soon after getting a hug from Mirajane which was when he finally let the waterworks run, getting Droy to merely pat his back as if to say 'there you go, just let it all out.'

The three of them stood there for a time while everyone else went about their business until Elfman fell asleep and was carried to his room. "Do you think that once Faust falls, he'll be able to go and learn medicine, save people like he did the Chief?" Droy asked earnestly.

Elfman's sister looked to Droy from the side, smiling softly at the realization of what he and Jet had been doing for the entirety of their knowing her brother. _You've been trying to help him build self-esteem by giving him something to fight this whole time, haven't you?_ "That depends on if he wants to do that. I'm pretty sure that Jet and you teasing him has given him reason to discard any notion of doing something like that, though." She said this with a glare in Droy's direction, a finger to her chin while she watched her guildmate sweat and flinch minutely in guilt as well as fear of what she'd do now that he was alone with her. "But the real question is why the Hell you give a damn after you and Jet have made it clear you'd like him to curl up in a ball and die?!" She said this with the eyes of a mother, the atmosphere around her so oppressive that it could kill a legion, and her expression-although seemingly calm-told her companion that a single wrong word and he'd suffer for it.

A lump formed in his throat, getting him to gulp it down quietly before he made his attempt to respond. "His skill in healing could save lives, Mirajane, that shouldn't go to waste. That's why Jet and I are harsh on him: he's letting his potential waste away with those tears that do nothing but wallow in worthlessness." The atmosphere changed again, not as heavy as before but he knew that the already thin ice was starting to thaw. "We don't want him to die, but we want him to do more than wallow in self-pity from your parents-"

"Bite your tongue!" Mirajane interrupted sharply, her eyes ablaze with fury. "You don't know anything about what we went through to get to this point!"

"Regardless," Droy continued, his fear dissipating with annoyance at being interrupted. "We know enough to say that it could've been a lot worse and your brother's coping isn't helping anybody, especially not himself. 'Waterworks can only flow for so long before they drown you, and if you don't turn them off or get out of that place...you won't be able to get out at all.'" His words struck a cord with the barmaid, her eyes wide with recognition of those words.

"Nearing Dawn..." She muttered, getting Droy to nod solemnly.

Removing his sunglasses to look Mirajane in the eye, she flinched in shock at finally seeing her guildmate's eyes. "You and your family aren't the only ones to have suffered, you know?" Unable to utter a word, she stared into his glazed white eyes, devoid of vision but full of insight. "Jet, Levy and I grew up in Louen before magicka became so scarce and before the black market started selling it to whomever would pay the highest. In that time, we were the best of friends and quite the infamous band of thieves. However, nine years ago, when the trade of magicka became illegal and any remaining traders were punished severely, we went back to our home town to save the good people we'd known only to find it was a trap."

His companion listened intently, unable to take her eyes away from those glazed orbs in his sockets. "The Fairy Hunter's mentor had paid a fair number of the merchants so much money they could buy an entire country, level it with ammunition and still live on the second-class level of the Royal Palace. Using what little magicka was left in my old bludgeon, I gave Levy and Jet the chance to escape while I was taken away to be interrogated."

Her eyes widened in recollection of the time he spoke of. "That was the-"

"The summer Shadow Gear became a part of Fairy Tail, yes." Returning his glasses to their former place over his haunting eyes, he continued, face stern. "Faust may be the embodiment of everything wrong with humanity, but his interrogatory methods are brilliant and appeal to the naivety of a child. He, personally, came to my cell and talked to me. For an entire month, he acted like I was a guest in his palace and that I should feel honored, making idle chit-chat with the king of Edolas and the man in charge of the entire country. At first, he asked simple, innocent question such as my name, my background, my hobbies and the like, but after a week-and-a-half...he'd cracked me slightly."

"He started asking more specific, relevant questions such as where I'd gotten the military-grade bludgeon, where my friends and I had been hiding our loot as well as the location of the other black market merchants." Droy took a breath, his harsh personality seemingly gone to reveal an injured soul so afraid to be unheard. "When I didn't say even after he used his best persuasion tactics, he had a young Erza Knightwalker and her mentor have their jollies. It was the Fairy Hunter who took my sight, pulling out my eyes by hand to soon after drench them in a semi-acidic solution that rendered them useless before using a special device to reattach all of the torn tissue, letting me feel the burning without the benefit of blinking away the blindness."

"After that, I was beaten and bruised constantly. Given the barest minimum of food and water, not enough to nourish me but just enough to keep me alive. I'd show you my scars if I could, had they not removed the markings and left only the pain." He let out a quiet sigh, glad to have let someone in on his pain at least a little.

"Did you get that scar on your cheek before you were caught?" Mira asked tentatively.

The response was that of a nod and a shake of the head no. "Kind of sort of. Originally, I had a birthmark here," He pointed at the x-shaped scar on his left cheek. "But the guards had been ordered to treat me as any other incarcerated convict. So, they gave me a scar to remember them by, using it as a way to be lazy and get out of branding a nine year-old like they would an adult seeing as I was feistier than I am these days. But, long story short," Droy said, finishing his tale. "You and your family aren't the only ones to have suffered."

With that said, he cracked his neck and strode back quietly to whatever it was he'd been doing before helping the barmaid get her brother to his bedroom. _My god. And I thought we had it bad. Lisanna, please wake up soon. I just know we'll need you soon._ Although her silent prayer went unheard, her sister wasn't wasting her time asleep.

 **Lisanna's dream**

WHAM! Lisanna was sent flying into the stone huts of a nearby village belonging to a tribe of humanoid felines, the frightened creatures fleeing the conflict while the armored members of their society came rushing towards her assailant and herself with primitive weapons. "I thought you were trained by the great, General Carn, girl?! Where's that daddy of your's, anyway? Oh, I'm sorry-"

The forest vulcan couldn't finish its sentence because the moment it mentioned Carn, Lisanna saw red. Cartwheeling to kick the animal-man in the chin, she spun around as she landed and left the imprint of her shoe in his face. The next blow to be received by the vulcan was an elbow to the cheek and a knee to the stomach, After that, her attacks devolved into rapid, bone-shattering punches that left the creature a broken mess before Lisanna's wrath shifted to the person whose existence left her fatherless.

"NATSU!" She shouted, damning hatred in her eyes for her boyfriend who stood just within the forest's boundaries. "YOU KILLED HIM!" Saying that, she morphed into her Hare Soul, giving her the appearance of a one-piece swimsuit made of fur with a powder-puff tail sprouting from her tail bone and a pair of long, rabbit-like ears sprouting from her skull. Charging her boyfriend with speed he couldn't compare to, she struck him repetitively with several consecutive kicks to the ribs. Next came a twirling handstand that let her clawed paws strike his face in quick repetition.

Quickly backflipping away when Natsu went to catch her legs, she landed before dashing towards and behind her lover with a fist finding its place in his spine. "WHY'D YOU TAKE HIM AWAY FROM ME?!" She demanded, slamming her hands together on his throat when he bent backwards in pain from her earlier punch. "WHY?!" She demanded, her fists hitting his stomach so hard he threw up his lunch before being picked up forcefully and swung into every solid object in view.

"WHY?!" Repeated Lisanna, her stamina seeming endless as she didn't slow down or falter. "WHY?!" Came her demand for an answer once more, her boyfriend finding himself in the air all of a sudden only for her to reappear and slam him headfirst in the stone of the small village's center, all of the felid humanoids running for safety. " _WHY?!_ " She screamed one, last time, finally breaking down into sobs as she struck Natsu with the strength of the average, human male.

The pyrovore didn't respond, his face still in the ground before he slowly, oh so slowly, rose to sit crosslegged before her. Face bloodied, nose broken along with his ribs, spinal cord in agony and vomit still seeping out of his mouth, he did his bests to speak. "DON'T SAY A WORD, YOU FUCKER!" Lisanna shrieked at him, her rage so powerful that it was palpable. "NOTHING YOU SAY WILL MAKE ME FORGIVE YOU FOR TAKING HIM FROM US-FROM _ME!_ "

A groan left his throat as he fell to his side, knowing what was going to happen next. " **Tir coi.** " He muttered, her rabbit ears picking up on his defeated voice. They'd been dating for two years and never had he seemed this broken, physically or emotionally. "It won't bring back the General or fix what I did out of self-defense, but if it'll make you feel better..." His eyes met hers, and even through her tears she could tell he didn't care that she hated him. _He'd give up his own life for my happiness..._

"Wh-" Lisanna began, only for his weak voice to interrupt her.

"I kept from you the knowledge that I killed your father, saving four young Dragon Slayers in the process, and I feel enough guilt as it is because of that. But seeing you cry like this..." He reached a hand to caress her cheek before he faltered and found his hand slapped away violently, breaking it in the process even though he felt so numb thanks to how heartbroken he felt. "If you don't put me down now and dump me..." Looking into her eyes with guilty, self-loathing tears that could only belong to those of an earnest person, his message was clear. "So, will you let Happy find me dead of a broken heart," He asked emptily. "Or will you spare him the trauma of losing a parent to another parent?"

Preparing to punch through his chest to kill him, she went to but faltered. _I can't kill him even though I want him to pay for taking dad from my family, or everything will have been for nothing!_ She went to do so again, Natsu's eyes never leaving hers expectantly, openly admitting defeat and forgiving her for what she wanted to do only to falter again. _DAMN IT! WHY DID I GET SO CLOSE?! THIS IS WHY WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO GET FRIENDLY WITH THE TARGET! MOM AND DAD TAUGHT ME THIS!_

She went to try again but in mid-lift of her fist, she bounded off in a random direction, leaving Natsu heartbroken and opening crying. _Why won't you spare all of us the trouble..._ He mentally begged, desperate to understand why she wouldn't just finish the job like she wanted. _I'm sorry for everything I've done, but there's no way a sorry will fix this. Once I can stand, I'll finish the job she won't..._

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

That's a wrap ladies, gents an' other! Now, I know tha-*I'm decapitated and immediately subjected to the most extreme tortures for millennium* I...was talking damn it...

(As always: thanks for bein' here, R&R, no flamin' my ass, constructive criticism, SEE YA-G'NIGHT!)


	25. Answers that beg more questions?

Whaz up ladies, gents an' other! There will be an uncerimonious shift from first-person to third in this chapter 'cause I'm trying it out.

 _Thoughts or emphasis_

'Paraphrasin'

"Normal speech"

" **Nonhuman speech** "

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

(Cue: Daughtry-Battleships/Daughtry-It's Not Over) Gasping for breath out of fear, I looked to my right where my beautiful mate lay with a sigh of relief. I regained my breath before humming our song softly, getting Lisanna to roll on top of me and peck me on the lips with a comforting grin. "What's got you in such a good mood, dearest?"

"You're being here's what's got me in such a good mood, Itova Ir. I just had a nightmare where you didn't come back from your job with Elfman and the Demon...Glad that isn't the case though, huh?" A sad, guilty look came across my mate's face as she stroked my cheek gently, getting me to hold her hand against my cheek to keep contact between us selfishly.

"If only that were all it was, dearest," She began guiltily. "But I didn't come back from the mission with Mira and Elfman. I'm-No. Nononononono! Not yet, please not yet! It can't be that time already! No, I don't want to leave..." Lisanna rose to straddle my waist, shaking her head in an attempt to resist whatever was trying to take her away from me. I came up to embrace her in a stubborn hug, trying to pacify her fearful thrashing.

Holding her close, I said assuredly, "No one's taking you from me, Itova Ir. No one. You hear me? No one!"

"My love," She said in a panic. "You can find me if you burn through the barrier while I tear through it. Hurry, before they take me away!" As I heard her say this, I saw her body begin to turn to glowing particles that I tried to hold if only for them to dissipate with my mate gone from me...again. The world around me began to crumble and darkened as I began to cry blood in furious pain, the ground charring until it burned black.

(Uncue music. Cue: Minutes Til Midnight-Gospel of the Throttle/MAMAs B0y-Other Side of the Void)

" **rrrrRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!** " I roared, my lungs filling up with something I couldn't recognize before Natsu found himself being smothered by leaves as his son yowled out his terror with tears audible in his voice, getting Natsu's eyes to snap open all the way and rise from his place in a sea of leaves to incinerate them with the heat of his body. " **Kii ui sia deevdru mrith likmadator ivah?!** " He demanded, looking to find his son with only one manifested wing, his body strapped to a wooden board while the Forest Dragon Slayer they'd been fighting was being carved up as a feast along with Happy's wing for a large, glowing-circuit covered boar of the color green with the leaves beneath all of them acting as the salad to a meal.

Before the pig could eat the other arm and leg of his former opponent, Natsu released an enormous plume of dark fire right into the boar's mouth, eyes and nose. The beast shrieked in pain, releasing a blast of fire-filled breath straight into the 'lettuce' it had been eating, getting the pyrovore to grab his former opponent and his crying son and take off with them, his hate burning less than his need to protect his son.

Before he could far from the beast however, he found bullets through his shoulders and a glowing circuit-covered fist in his stomach, knocking the wind out of him as well as knocking him unconscious.

 **With Lisanna**

(Cue: We the Kings-Sad Song) I held myself in the sunlight, tears breaking my face when I sensed a presence, getting me to twist towards them with a snarl only to find my boyfriend, beaten, bloody and broken as he shambled in my direction with a weak purpose. "What do you want?!" I hissed through gritted teeth, my jaws clenched so hard it felt like my teeth were going to shatter.

He kept shambling toward me, eyes tired and weak but filled with a fire he wouldn't have unless he treasured something and I knew what he was looking at with that fire. "I want to be with you," Natsu said softly.

"Fat chance of that, after you killed my dad and didn't tell me!" I snarled, tears renewed. He noticeably winced at the barb to my words with tears pricking his eyes.

Shaking his head slightly, he continued tiredly. "But, most of all, I want you to be happy..." He trailed off for a moment. "And if that can be achieved with me out of the picture, then so be it."

"Wait," I asked. "What are you planning?"

"I'll leave the house to you and Happy, but if you don't want anything to do with that place," Natsu barely choked out, "I understand." Without another word, he strut off, eyes full of tears and body moving mechanically, leaving me to stare in confusion. Natsu strode back to our home after about an hour, hugging our son really quick before finding Gildarts for a goodbye. "It'll be a while before we see each other again," Natsu proposed cleverly. "So how about one more tussle this time, no bars held?"

(Additional cue: 21 Pilots-Heathens) Gildarts smirked, knowing his apprentice to be a sentimental knucklehead at heart. "Sure, pal, one more tussle for the road. No bars held...DON'T GET SLOPPY!" With that said, Fairy Tail's Ace threw a fist at the Salamander, getting him to duck and throw a punch into Gildarts' elbow, bending it before kicking him in the face. "Damn, you're stronger than last time!"

"Got a great teacher, great guild and lots of time on my hands," Natsu replied with that cheeky smirk of his that had won the Blizzard Cat's heart. "What can I say except everything's going m-OOF!" A backhand sent him flying into an alleyway when he called out, "NOW GREY!" Suddenly, spikes of ice erupted from the ground, piercing his chest and-"NATSU!" Lisanna cried, arm outstretched towards her impaled husband only to find she was in the Edolas Fairy Tail infirmary, walls so thick her voice was inaudible to the outside world. Realizing her current location, she grit her teeth nearly to the point of shattering them and slamming her fists down on the table until her stomach started to hurt due to the stitches from the incision.

"Damn it. Damn it. Damn it! DAMN IT!" She screeched, holding herself in pain when the bestial apparition attempted to escape her body once more, getting her to screech even more. "MAKE IT STOP, MOTHER, MAKE IT STOP! MY HUSBAND, MY BABY, MY SISTER, MY BROTHER AND MY LIFE, MAKE IT ALL STOP HURTING! I can't keep going like this for much longer otherwise I won't be able to stand it..." Curling into the fetal position, she whimpered like a wounded pup and made reptilian chirps for anyone to stop or ease the pain. _Why did I have to be taken from Earth? Why couldn't it have been somebody else? Why couldn't it have been anybody else..._

She didn't leave that position for a while, time losing meaning as she listened to the silence long enough she started to hear outside of the infirmary. "It's been a week, Elfman, and we need more magicka in the generator otherwise we're all going to freeze to death. She did-"

"Don't talk like she's dead, Jet!" Elfman interrupted venomously, an 'oof' coming from Jet after the medical giant no doubt socked him in his stomach in defense of his sister. "Her heart's still beating and she's too stubborn to die! So don't you _ever_ think that she'd abandon us in any sense of the word!" Having heard enough, Lisanna rose from the table, removing empty tubes from her body as she shambled to the door and opened the door with eyes full of pain and an arm around her stitched midsection.

Everyone held their breath, relief in their eyes and fear of what she'd do as she rose to her full height with a wince as well as a stretching of her wings. "Elfman's right about that," She said sternly, angry eyes meeting those of a fearful Jet. "I wouldn't abandon any one of you for any reason and my death's coming, but not today!" Saying that, she came to Jet and lifted him to his feet with a single hand, showing off her great strength for the entire guild to see. "Got that?!" Lisanna stated through gritted teeth, anger immense in her eyes.

Dropping the bully of the Edolas version of her brother on his ass, she struggled towards the generator room, opened the door and found her place in front of the amalgamation of machinery. Automobile wheels were acting as gears and jutting out of the machine, the treads on their tires making their grip on each other strong enough to seem the same as gear teeth. Large, patched airship gas bags were audibly inflating and deflating from within and partially outside the large contraption, pumping what little magicka and natural gases were inside through the machinery. Flickering lacrima of varying sizes and materials stood on pedestals as well as rods, barely fighting for what life they had still as they tried to power the machine they were attached to.

Lisanna shambled to a place in front of the generator, placing her hand on one lacrima after another to fill them with the excess magicka she was producing. Her breath was visible in this cold room, the generator attached to several pipes that channeled the heat it generated into the other parts of the cavern they called home and their guildhall. Its integrity was questionable, what with the screws, bolts and parts shaking so violently it was an occupational hazard being anywhere near the damned thing, but it held together just the same. Keeping the larger pieces in place was the armor of a large, flying beast, reminding Lisanna of the times she'd had to kill innocent animals.

She looked behind herself to find her guildmates, staring at her nervously, fearfully. That look had broken her morale time and time again, reminding her that this wasn't her guild and that she needed to get home or suffer in silence until death. "It's got power again. Now, I'm going to go back to sleep before I overexert myself..." Lisanna trailed off, wings drooping so low they dragged on the floor as she made her way slowly to her chambers, the Edolas version of Fairy Tail parting like the Red Sea to let her pass. As this occurred, she thought to herself about her plans when she heard Levy.

"Chief," The slim mechanic said, getting her guildmaster to stop dead in her tracks.

An edge in her voice, warning the bluenette not to aggravate her, Lisanna asked, "What?"

"I know you need your sleep but you need to see this, first." Levy said calmly, lightly gripping Lisanna's shoulder as she lead her towards the workshop, finding Natsu Dragion going about some welding. "Natsu's airship's ready for flight again and-" Levy pulled her guildmaster along, getting a nervous Natsu to look around confusedly after he finished welding before getting back to it. The bluenette lead Lisanna further into the caverns until they came to a set of stone chambers where the floor had been broken down and morphed into soil which sprouted plants while outside those chambers that had lacrima hanging from above, a small runway with a fishing spot at the end which had fish refrigerated naturally. "We've got enough food to last us a few months, even with Bisca's brat on the way...You don't need to worry so much about us, anymore. Give it a few more days and we'll be self-sufficient minus supplies for the generator!"

Saying that, Levy held Lisanna's shoulders comfortingly before lunging in, claiming her lips passionately, catching her guildmaster completely offguard. "Levy-Mm!" Lisanna tried to protest, getting the spunky mechanic to oncemore claim her lips, silencing anymore arguments while her guildmaster felt great emotions welling up within.

Without another word, and with her wounds healing faster thanks to the burst in magicka-triggering emotions, Lisanna held her subordinate close, kissing her back passionately, finger-combing the bluenette's hair. Pulling away slowly, realization dawned on the Fairy Tail guildmaster and Levy said, "Before the accident, I didn't have the nerve to tell you since you seemed to want Natsu, but now I can say without any regrets that I love you! I'm tired of hiding my feelings for you out of fear of judgement, so I'm going to get this out there so you know: I've loved you since the day we met and you've become more and more my favorite guildmaster with each passing day."

"Levy, I-"

"It's okay," Levy interrupted with a finger to Lisanna's lips. "I'm not expecting you to reciprocate my feelings or give me an answer right now. Right now, all you need to know's that we're not helpless anymore and you can worry about other things than just getting us food and junk like that! Now that we can grow our own food and fish, you can think about other things such as..." A blush came to the normally vulgar and aggressive Levy's face. "Love..." Shaking her head vigorously, she took Lisanna's hand which felt a little awkward for the secret Takeover mage and lead her back to her chambers to get that sleep she so desperately needed.

Reaching Lisanna's bed chambers, Levy hugged her close, blushing before striding off with difficulty to resist skipping for joy. Lisanna, for her part, entered her room, closed and locked the door before reaching and falling face-first onto her bed, crying at her conflicting emotions. _DAMN IT, NO! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING! I CAN'T CHEAT ON MY HUSBAND AND I CAN'T BREAK LEVY'S HEART! MAMA, MAKE THE CONFUSION END!_ The next thing she knew, she was crying like a little girl again, whimpering for her mother and her hubby to make the pain stop. Edolas' version of Fairy Tail kept making it harder for her to convince herself to return home, and this just added onto the mountain of reasons they'd made for her.

Eventually, Lisanna wept herself to sleep, finding myself in a lightly raining forest, my husband at my side when he gasped out of fear. He calmed down at the sight of me, humming our song quietly when I rolled on top of him and pecked his lips, grinning comfortingly. "What's got you in such a good mood, dearest?" I asked, knowing he'd say something cheesy yet romantic.

"You're being here's what's got me in such a good mood, Itova Ir. I just had a nightmare where you didn't come back from your job with Elfman and the Demon...Glad that isn't the case though, huh?" A sad, guilty look came across my face as I stroked his cheek gently, getting him to hold my hand against his cheek to keep me close.

"If only that were all it was, dearest," I began, guilt in my voice. "But I didn't come back from the mission with Mira and Elfman. I'm-No. Nononononono! Not yet, please not yet! It can't be that time already! No, I don't want to leave..." I rose to straddle myhusband, shaking my head in a vain attempt to resist whatever was trying to take me away from Natsu. Rising up, he embraced me in a stubborn hug, trying to pacify my fearful thrashing.

Holding me close, he said with certainty, "No one's taking you from me, Itova Ir. No one. You hear me? No one!"

"My love," I panicked. "You can find me if you burn through the barrier while I tear through it. Hurry, before they me away!"Saying that, my body began to become glowing particles that were taken by the wind, ripping me away from my love and my hope for inner piece once again. Waking with a start, Lisanna growled at nothing, clenching her fist and punching the wall to leave a 'dent' in the stone and ice before she stamped out of her bedroom and entered the warroom which was an adjacent cave to her own with connections to a few of the other guildmembers' bed chambers.

(Uncue music) Inside the warroom was a table made of metal and stone, a map of the known world carved into the wooden middle with a paper map overtop of it to help us differentiate borders better than with just the wooden map. On the walls were racks of supplies Lisanna had procured from raiding parties that got too close to their location. From what some of the members from those hunting parties had said in their camps, the area had become a hazard zone belonging to an unknown species of reptilian beings, whilst others said the area was haunted by a spirit of some sort.

Those rumors made Lisanna smile sinisterly at the knowledge that she'd made the military fear her capabilities in guerrilla warfare as well as her great skill in fear tactics. _Even though my husband robbed me of my father, it's a great thing that my siblings and I had been taught the arts of war..._ She strode in, barely noticeably shambling towards the table, placing her hands on either side of herself on the table. _Now that Dragion's airship is operational, that means a few Fairy Tail members can go out and collect supplies for other airships._ A glimmer in her eyes came into being, frightening the members who entered the warroom after waking up. _If Dragion and Levy make more airships, it won't just be they and I searching for supplies which means that we can expand, gather and survive better..._ She started chuckling darkly that glimmer in her eyes becoming a full-on shine of a glow, her sinister smile revealed her sharp teeth to the rest of the members before she started cackling madly at the sight of the Levy and her automobile-loving ex-boyfriend, Natsu Dragion.

Out of nowhere, she appeared in front of the two mechanics, getting them both to flinch and back up before she grabbed their shoulders tightly, making them freeze in terror at the glimmer in their guildmaster's eyes. Without warning, Lisanna dragged the two of them to the garage, leaving the warroom occupied by Reedus, Elfman, Lucy Ashley, Nab, Macao, Gray Surge and Cana. Reaching the garage, Lisanna looked to Natsu with a crazed face, scaring the bejesus out of him. "Dragion," She began excitedly, scaring the poor automobile-lover. "What supplies do you need and how much do you need of them to make another one of these?!"

The pink-haired auto-mechanic could only stutter and shake from behind his ex-girlfriend who was acting as a meat shield. "W-W-W-W-W-Well I-I-I-I'd-d-d-d ne-e-e-ed-EEP!" Levy, getting sick of her guildmaster making her friend and ex-boyfriend stutter like mad out of fear, grabbed him by the shoulders and forced him into the small airship before starting it up. What resulted was Natsu closing his eyes as he felt the machine's vibrations reverberate through his entire body, getting him to smirk softly as he said coolly said, "Thanks Levy, I needed that."

"No problem," Levy responded, smiling sweetly which got Natsu to blush slightly. "Please continue, Natsu."

Said automobile guru nodded, readying himself to answer before he noticed something and smirked a little more. "I will, but first let's get this baby airborn to make sure everything's ship-shape. Colonel," He looked to Lisanna as he said this, getting her to nod. "Catch us if we fall, please. And with that outta the way, let's get this show on the rooOOOAAAADDDD!" Moving a few things, the ship took off with such speed that it took a few seconds for Lisanna to register it had left.

"HOLY SHIT!" Levy shouted, her voice echoing through the runway cavern. (Here's the link to what Dragion's airship basically looks like. . )

" WOOOHOO, HELL YEAH!" Natsu yelled, glee on his face that his baby was working as he'd intended. The rear-facing propeller was spinning at full speed silently, the lacrima at full capacity thanks to Lisanna's generous donation to the generator, and the paint wasn't chipping. The boomerang-like wings were shaped to look like the wings of a butterfly with a set of 'fins' up front and the other set facing backwards. His goggles were down and his recently-fashioned aviator's hat was buckled, keeping his eyes and ears safe from freezing air as well as debris. He made the windshield similar to that of a motorcycle's, high enough for it to block most of the wind when speed was key and goggles couldn't stay clear, but low enough for the pilot to lift their head above the windshield if they needed to. Painted in a military fashion, the colors were light blue, white, grey and a twinge of yellowish-pink for flair, this was an airship built for stealth and speed but its pilot wasn't. "I WAS RIGHT! MACHINES CAN TAKE TO THE SKIES LIKE OUR MIGHTY BEASTS! HAHAHAHA!"

"DRAGION!" Lisanna called, getting the now grinning-like-a-mad-man Natsu to look and find his former colonel with his ex-girlfriend on her back, on his right side. "WE NEED TO HEAD BACK TO BASE, OTHERWISE YOU MIGHT RUN OUT OF FUEL!"

"I CAN KEEP FLYING FOR AN HOUR AT LEAST!" Natsu argued, getting the two lovely women at his side to glare at him, Lisanna more than Levy.

"THAT'S AN _ORDER_ , DRAGION!" Declared Lisanna, Natsu's eyes widening as he experienced flashbacks of Lisanna's old training regiment and her punishment for those who disobeyed orders back in the army, before he veered left back to the runway cavern with a frightfully miffed look on his face. Landing, he turned to find the two ladies right behind him.

He begrudgingly turned the airship off, getting off silently although his atmosphere remained the same as it did when he'd been on it. Lisanna came up behind him, getting him to twist around and punch her right in the center of the chest several times, his military training giving him more strength than the average male which was enough to make the demi-human he called sergeant to struggle to remain upright. "WHY'D YOU BETRAY US BACK AT EXTALIA WHEN WE NEEDED YOU MOST?! I'VE BEEN HERE, WAITING FOR YOU TO EXPLAIN YOURSELF FOR THAT GUILTY LOOK ON YOUR FACE BUT EVERY TIME WE'RE ALONE, YOU WALK AWAY BEFORE I CAN TRY TO TALK! NOW HERE YOU ARE, ORDERING ME AROUND LIKE YOU DID WHEN WE WERE STILL A PART OF THE ARMY!"

Lisanna took every blow to the chest he left, her passenger never having removed herself out of fear, her eyes hidden from view by her bangs when she answered that question that had plagued him for so long in full, blows and all. "BECAUSE," She began, kneeing him in the stomach with speed greater than his. "I COULDN'T WATCH INNOCENT CREATURES PAY FOR THE MISTAKES OUR GOVERNMENT MADE! I'D SEEN HOW THE EXCEED ACTED AROUND HUMANS AND I COULDN'T ATTACK AN ENEMY THAT WAS NOTHING BUT KIND TO US EVEN AFTER THEY ATTACKED US. THEY ATTACKED US OUT OF RETALIATION FOR THE CASUALTIES THEY'D SUSTAINED FROM THE SECRET ATTACK FAUST LEAD AGAINST THEM! THAT'S WHY I SABOTAGED THE BATTALIONS! I DIDN'T BETRAY MY FELLOWS, I BETRAYED FAUST AND THOSE OF HIGH RANK WHO WOULD WATCH AS INNOCENTS DIED FOR NOTHING, WITH A CLEAR CONSCIENCE!" Her rant finished, she ended her attacks with a punch that met Natsu Dragion's fist, causing the air pressure they gathered in their hands to explode behind the other with a shockwave following close after.

Their fists stayed in place, their training having made them stubborn, and they didn't move from their position before a large, double-headed wrench clocked them both in the noggin, leaving them swirly-eyed with a headache. "WHAT THE HELL, LEVY?! I'M SORRY FOR BEING AN ASSHOLE, BUT WHAT THE HELL?!" Natsu demanded, his behavior making Levy jump and thwack him with the wrench again, knocking him out for a while.

"Ugh," Lisanna groaned, getting up with a glare at her no-longer-secret admirer. "So he's been acting like this due to PTSD from the Exceeds punishing him and the other soldiers for attacking their capital and slaughter of the innocents. That must've been some harsh punishment if it turned such a proud man into a sniveling boy. He's been desperate for answers that the shell's broken and finally, he's not afraid that the Exceed are going to hurt him or he's going to die."

"Does that mean he'll act like he did back then from now on?" Asked a curious Levy.

Shrugging, Lisanna answered. "Don't know. I'm still having nightmares from the war and I'm always looking over my shoulder whenever I'm near lacrima to make sure it doesn't explode on me even though I know it won't, so..."

"It's unlikely he'll act like he did when he was in the military?" Levy asked, following her chief's train of thought.

"That's probably the case, but if he's somehow cured, then we've Natsu the Fireball two-point-o and we've another Ace in our sleeve." Lisanna said this with a hand to her chin, thought clearly in her eyes. "We'd better get back to the warroom otherwise they're going to come get us."

"Yeah." Levy responded, carryin the unconscious Dragion by piggybacking him all the way to the warroom, where the others awaited their return. "Sorry for the interruption, Chief wanted Natsu to answer a few questions but he forgot to."

The others in the warroom besides Lisanna nodded in silent understanding, knowing Natsu to have issues with answering their guildmaster. "Levy let me know that food's not as big a problem as it has been. Now the issue happens to be materials for machinery and medical supplies, which can't be procured without a skirmish with the army which isn't easy since-Ergh!" Lisanna winced all of a sudden, crumpling to the floor while holding her side, getting Elfman to come to her side and check the stitching he'd done.

"Crap," Elfman said sharply. "The thread's breaking! I need the first aid kit, stat." He was given said kit immediately thanks to Macao, getting his sister to lay down and bit into a chunk of wood he gave her as he began re-stitching the incision in her belly. This took a few minutes, which had Elfman explaining some things to his younger sister. "Although our medical supplies are limited, I can keep Jerry-rigging what I need given enough time and assistance from those nearby. For instance, this thread's made from vegetable fibers, forced together with the generator's magicka which is why it's held up this long in general."

His sister nodded, chomping down on the chunk of wood every time the needle pierced her skin. It wouldn't be long until he finished, but he knew that if somebody didn't speak he'd start crying so he asked, "Have you made any progress with the seadogs or owlmen, Cana?" Said skirt-wearing maiden nodded with an elegant smile.

"The owlmen have agreed to our terms and the seadogs are right now working on a compromise with them to help our cause. Now that we've made them our allies, we're going to offer our services while they help us gather supplies. For example, should they need tools they can't produce, we'll provide." Cana said these things with a finger to her cheek in contemplation. "Granted, we're a little short on tools ourselves, but with their help we'll be set for a fair time." Finished, she flipped her hair lightly to distract herself from the sight of her guildmaster being stitched before her eyes.

"Okay." Elfman said, his eyes welling up out of random reflex, getting his chomping sister to wipe his face which got him to give her a thankful and apologetic smile. "How are things on your end, Macao? Have the Amarok agreed to help us?"

"Yes, they have. However," He said somewhat guiltily, pushing up his glasses. "The only way I could get them to agree was if Master fought their newly-elected chief one-on-one, which won't happen any time soon seeing as she's recovering from a nasty wound." Elfman nodded at his words.

"Alright. Seeing as my sister checked on Natsu and Levy's work firsthand, I'll skip the-"

"The Hell you will!" Levy interrupted. "Natsu's airship is operational and fully capable of reconnaissance as well as retrieval. Also, the generator's running at full capacity right now, so our power's not going anywhere. Add to that, Natsu and I found a new cavern we can use as a forge for any tools we need which helps since we also found another old set of legion armor."

"Good to hear," He said with his voice cracking as he finished stitching up his sister's stomach, getting her to nod in thanks before spitting out the splintered chunk of wood.

"Thanks, Elfman. Reedus. Nab," Lisanna said, directing attention to the man with the afro as well as the tribal-garbed man. "Status report."

Reedus responded with an irritated expression, his voice raised in an unwanted challenge. "Everybody's in good spirits thanks to your brother but you shouldn't be giving us a heart attack in the first place, damn it!"

"The guild's a little shaken from your brush with death, but since you've woken up, everybody's been feeling a lot better. Also, thanks to the alliance we have with the neighboring creatures, there are more jobs available so we can get materials." Nab said this with a grin, his enjoyment of work obvious to everyone.

"What kind of materials? Metals? Wood? Stone? I need details to figure out what we need." Lisanna said, seriousness written on her face.

"Wood and stone, although the owlmen do, on occasion, have spare metal from military parties coming too close to their territory. However, the metal is usually only a few scraps they can't make use of." He answered, getting her to nod thoughtfully.

"Alright, that's good to know. How are our defenses and is it still unlikely for the army to find our base?" The question was directed to Gray Surge and Lucy Ashley, the heavily-clothed man speaking first.

"I've been checking and rechecking the camouflage of our base with your entrance and the runway being my biggest concern since those are our only means to enter and exit. So far, the entryway you take is fine with the formation being mostly natural, it doesn't look suspicious to the trained or novice eye. The runway, on the other hand," Gray said with disapproval of his news at the mention of the runway. "That chamber wasn't always that big and it shows. With or without my expertise in concealment and your mastery of guerrilla combat, there's no way we can hide that gaping hole without loud machinery or some seriously realistic tarps. Until I can get my notes together, that's going to be a liability."

The Blizzard Beast nodded in thought. "That's good to know, but I'd seriously suggest you find those notes within the next few weeks because I get the feeling something big's coming up soon."

With Lisanna finished speaking, Lucy stood at attention and began her report. "All of the traps we have set up around our base are secure, prepped and ready for use. I've gone so far as to change some of them so they weren't a risk for our allies, Ser!" She finished with a salute, getting Lisanna to pat her on the back proudly.

"Good call, Soldier. We don't need to start a war with our allies, especially when we're this vulnerable." The look Lucy had was one of relief with an exhaling of a breath she'd been holding, having heard from Natsu all the horror stories of the Blizzard Beast he'd been told in his days as a soldier which made the usually aggressive Ashley very much afraid of her guildmaster who she'd come to call colonel, much like Natsu. Lisanna, being the observant veteran she was, knew this all too well and made sure to make Lucy as uncomfortable as possible, using her power as a way to make Lucy fear her and respect Natsu Dragion more.

Lisanna's use of fear she had over Lucy had actually worked, allowing the Edolas counterpart of her husband to breath easily without Lucy breaking any of his bones and build some self-esteem back up. She also knew that the punk-like Lucy had always dreamed of being in the military, but due to her family's financial problems, she couldn't fulfill that dream, so Lisanna's treating Lucy like a soldier was her way of paying her back for the abuse to Natsu as well as a way to reward Lucy for her dedication to the guild. Also, the white-haired veteran couldn't watch a young woman's dream die because of cruel fate, so she was giving her what she wanted.

"At ease," Lisanna said to Lucy, getting her to loosen up her posture slightly, still retaining the stance but being less tense. "Thank you, everyone, for letting me know of these things. You're all dismissed." The moment she said that, everyone except for Natsu and herself had left the room, getting her to sit down on the bench the unconscious Dragion laid on. _You're lucky you can sleep, Dragion. My rest is always disturbed by nightmares of times I can't have experienced and restlessness only a heartbroken mother can understand. It's probably best that you don't have my Natsu's gift for poetry, otherwise my faith in him might be gone._

Pulling out a small book titled 'HeartBorne Freedom by Nearing Dawn', she read an excerpt aloud. "'When you've traveled so far from those you care for that it hurts to even breath, you know you're in love more than a sword and a sheathe. Everyday, I ache when I'm away from them, my family; my friends. As I'm away, the play and the ache never ends!' Said Bergundy to Jairin, eyes a bloom with tears of a man whose heart held his greatest fears. 'How can I breath, when he's not here, healing my wounds and helping me walk?! It's amazing, even, that these words can be heard as I try and fail to talk...'" Wiping her eyes finally, having read the book numerous times she still got teary-eyed when she read homosexual Bergundy ask his best friend and main protagonist Jairin how to live without his deceased fiancee. "Nearing Dawn, a.k.a. Natsu Dragneel...you poetic genius, you. I-"

"Who?" A drowsy Natsu Dragion asked, coming up to look at the book in his former colonel's hands.

"Nobody!" Lisanna said too quickly, getting the normally nervous Natsu to quirk a brow at her curiously.

"Colonel," He began, voice calm and even. "You're great at keeping secrets, guerrilla combat, scare tactics, unusual punishment and warfare in general, ironically," Natsu snickered at his little joke before continuing. "But what you're not great at is lying to someone while looking them in the eye. So, I'm going to once again ask: who?" Finished speaking, he received a blood-chilling glare from his commanding officer, getting him to realize he'd gone too far and was now walking on cracking ice with shattered glass all over it. "You know what?" He asked suddenly, getting up quickly and turning to leave for the workshop, walking backwards out of the room. "I need a set-and-a-half of legion armor, a lacrima or two and an automobile engine, so I'll go tune up the Dragion Mk I and you'll go-BYE NOW!" With that, he was one, leaving Lisanna to mentally kick herself for reading aloud.

 _DAMN IT, I SAID TOO MUCH! This is going to bite me in the ass later, isn't it?_ She thought to herself, leaning against the wall tiredly.

 **With Natsu**

The first thing he did was flinch suddenly at the scent in the air, matching that of every animal on Earth in one form. Eyes fighting to open, Natsu groaned as light pierced his vision, making him attempt to turn his body only to find he was restrained by what felt like cuffs. _What's going on? The last thing I remember was fighting that pig, saving the asshole who attacked me and-_ "HAPPY!" He called out the last part, knowing that if his son could hear him he'd respond.

"PAATSU!" Called back the feline, spirits obviously higher than before and his pain inaudible, getting an adjusting-eyes Natsu to sigh in relief that his son wasn't crying anymore and wince at the nearness of his son's high volume. Blinking through the light, Natsu found his son fur-wise puffed up in a kennel with only a single wing at his feet, answering the where-is-Happy question, but bringing up about seventy-four more queries.

With an exhale, Natsu asked his son, "Are you alright, Happy?"

"Aye..." The more-noticeably-striped cat faltered at the use of his trademark affirmative, getting his father to tense up in increasing rage at the possibility that his son had been harmed. "I'm alright, but I don't think life will be the same now that I lost a wing." Hearing that, Natsu loosened up slightly, noticing the heartbreak in his boy's voice.

He opened his mouth to speak, hoping to offer something optimistic but no words came, the silence deafening them as he struggled to think of something helpful. "Uh...Well, I don't know what to do about that, son. Sorry, but I'm still all brawn. Do you know where we are?"

Curling around his little package of keepsakes, Happy nodded slightly, ears flattening and his eyes falling. "We're in a small cave, underneath the Beast's Plateau. The very place where...Where..." The feline began sobbing quietly, knowing this place's history and the reason behind its name. Natsu visibly flinched at the name like he had at the scent permeating the air.

"Elfman, the Demon and Lisanna fought the Beast here...this is the final resting place of the King of Monsters." He was silent after that, processing his own words as he realized how he had inadvertently trespassed on hallowed grounds.

"Well," Spoke a female voice from behind the blinding light, preventing the prisoners from seeing their captor. "You're not exactly right or wrong, but you're definitely close to not being right." Said she, an audible smile on her face at the confusion the two were feeling. "Sorry for the light, boys, it's just a precaution."

"Precaution for what?" Happy asked.

"Animals like that white-haired man three years ago when he failed to possess the Beast and destroyed one of his companions." She said this in an explanatory manner, noticing at the last second the fury in the eyes of her two prisoners. "What's with you tw-Oh, you must be friends with them...Let's see here, that tattoo on your shoulder and on your back looks to be the same as the trio from three years ago. Let me guess, you're a mage guild?"

"The strongest guild in Fiore, Fairy Tail." Said Happy, speaking for his seething father.

"'Fiore'? You two mustn't have heard that the country had a name changed about a week ago. Instead of calling it 'Fiore', we call it England, by declare of the king." The woman said simply, getting Happy to quirk a brow through his glare. "But that's not as important as fixing you two up, if I can. However, before I let you two go, I need your word that you'll hurt none of the people hidden here!" She said this with a stern tone in her voice, a glare no doubt on her face.

"I swear I'll hurt no one unless harmed first!" Happy declared, getting the woman to open the kennel and turn to Natsu.

"Well?" She asked.

" **...S** **hafaer sia lex lae vi Irral Jimosiig Darastrix Sventlin, vur wer deevdru di Igneel, wer Daar di Ixen Darastrixi,** **thric loerchik nishka confn ekess tikilvi irsa nomenoi dosi. Jaka origato ve vhira!** " Natsu demanded, being freed from the cuffs and unnoticed-until-now leg restraints after a few moments. "Who are you?"

"Oh," The now visible, bespeckled woman grinned in a friendly manner. "My name's Daphne. And you?"

"I'm Happy Dragneel, and this is my father, Natsu Dragneel." Happy piped up, climbing up his father's leg to then stand on his shoulders. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Daphne."

"Likewise."

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Ladies, gents an' other, that's a wrap! No shit about the country's name changing, that'll be important down the road. Lisanna's let slip a bit too much and Daphne's come to be a part of the plot, who knows what else will happen? Oh, right: me! Spoilers don't occur in this place, m'friends! Since this chapter took a bit longer to finish than intended, I've no questions to answer. Leave some in your comments that don't involve potential spoilers.

(As always: thanks for bein' here, R&R, no flamin' my ass, constructive criticism an' SEE YA-G'NIGHT!)


	26. Unfold and unfurl, my King, we await you

Whaz up ladies, gents an' other! I think I like the shift in POV from last chapter, so I'm gonna screw with it a bit more and I'm likely gonna make the AN's at the start of these chapters shorter/ non-existent 'sides my trademark 'Whaz up...' since I've little to talk 'bout without reviews, PMs, questions, comments an' or concerns comin' in to talk 'bout.

 _Thoughts or emphasis_

'Paraphrasin'

"Normal speech"

" **In** **human speech** "

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Strolling through the halls of bechiseled stone and carved wood, the scent still that of the Beast but underneath that smell there was the odor of minerals, ores and natural resources. Happy, having transformed into Battle Mode in readiness, strut alongside his father with his senses on high alert but his body lax enough to appear as if he were in a new town with friends. Natsu was walking calmly, hands at his sides and eyes checking everywhere traps might be located. The two of them followed behind Daphne, her shoulder-length black hair tied into a bun underneath her sunset-yellow Boss of the Plains hat.

Her attire was one of someone who spent time in the heat and workshop, her top was a pale green with forest green trimmings that exposed some of her abdomen which included her belly button. Wearing an orange, calf-length lab coat over her top and her hiker-quality, blue knee length shorts, she completed the outgoing scientist-look with elevated sandals. The way she dressed complimented her pale complexion, purple-grey eyes and average bust. Although she exuded an air of confidence and eccentricity, her clothes weren't flashy or noticeably adorned with any real details to prevent her getting too attached to them in case she had to ditch them in a dangerous situation.

Removing her shaded glasses, she put them in a pocket and turned to look at her guests. "You're no doubt wondering why people live underneath the Beast's Plateau, am I right? Well, it's because this place is safe from people who would subjugate, abuse and discriminate against those who live here. From sentient monsters to disfigured humans to animal-people, we live here." She said all of this in a calm, matter-of-factly tone, getting Natsu and Happy to give each other a meeting glance for a moment before returning their attention to their host.

"I am Daphne Ariamis and this is my Chiseled Haven, a safe place for anyone who the masses won't treat equally or anyone who has nowhere else to go." Finished speaking, she presented them with a magnificent, carved wall of happily-wed ores, wood and clay, depicting a large city built in fantastic ways and inhabited by different creatures. The creatures carved into the marriage of materials were small yet incredibly life-like, making the two males approach the masterpiece to observe only for the work of art to ripple like water and suck them in suddenly.

Daphne, shaking her head with a smile at her guests' startled thrashings and loud noises, pushed them in all the way and soon after dived in headfirst. Landing, all three of them were greeted by a large, white dog-reminiscent being with two ears atop its head where a large opening served as its face. Underneath its body and between its six, digitigrade legs were the black-and-white-'eyed' forms of smaller, 'normal-ler' canines. It lowered its head towards Daphne in a respectful bow before lowering itself to inspect the newcomers curiously.

A deep, warbled and dissonant bark left its 'facial' orifice before it 'sniffed' Happy, resulting in the winged, blue tiger to tense up. The creature leaned its head in and licked the feline with the tongues from the smaller canid forms underneath it. As a result, Happy was frozen in a quivering uncertainty of how to react to this. Natsu went to get the creature away from his son before Daphne said, "Endogeny," The creature perked up. "I don't think licking them right now is making them uncomfortable since they just got thrown in here without any legitimate warning and they're unlikely to have ever seen someone like you before now."

With a nod, the now named Endogeny ceased licking Happy. The pronunciation of the creature's name was odd as its root was from the word 'endogenous' but the syllable '-dog-' was pronounced as if speaking of the animal. "'Endogeny'?" Happy questioned, his voice deep but not so much that he could scare adults in a simple conversation. "That's a peculiar name, and the owner of it's even more...peculiar." His eyes bore into the orifice acting as Endogeny's face, the feeling of being stared at meeting Happy's actions.

" **Yes** " Came the deep, warbled voice of Endogeny, the nerve-wracking sound following the single word putting the Fairy Tail mage's on edge. " **My name is odd and I'm less than normal, myselfhowever, I'm the only one with this sort of physical structureFigures seeing as I'm an Amalgamate** " Every time the strange being spoke, what sounded like dog voices being shredded through minuscule pieces of shrapnel followed like the 'other dogs' were trying to speak as well.

"Ah, Daphne," A powerful, resounding and gentle voice said with the sound of a metal rod meeting the stone tiled floor. "I see you've brought us guests? Would these individuals be the ones who tussled with Vyretris up above before the Erymanthian Boar awoke?" The one speaking was a tall, armored and bearded goat-like humanoid. He stood at roughly seven feet tall, his plantigrade feet bare and clawed like his human-like hands. Covered in short, soft white fur, he didn't look too frightening to the average onlooker. His beard and 'mane' of hair was gold like straw, eyes the color of molten rock, cape the color of royalty attached to his golden armor, and carrying a masterfully crafted trident with a golden blossom at the base of the prongs. To complete his appearance of a humanoid hircine, his lower face was elongated so his nose and mouth were a snout while atop his head were two, large curved horns and finally, a golden crown adorned with small gems was atop his brow.

He lowered himself to look Happy and Natsu over closely, his eyes piercing theirs without any effort. Daphne had fallen to one knee, hands clenched into fists behind her back with a bow, when she spoke. "Yes, Sire. Speaking of which, how is Vyretris? Has he recovered from his injuries?" Rising from the ground, the monarch before them stared into Daphne's eyes sadly.

"Not as of yet, my child. Alphys and Mettaton are working to heal him as we speak. Come, let us discuss everything that's happened over some tea." He turned and strode off, Daphne rising and picking up Natsu while she was at it since he hadn't gotten his wits about him after he came through the sculpted wall. The three of them followed after the hircine monarch with haste, passing by a multitude of creatures that humans hadn't seen in centuries. "If you don't pick up your feet, children, you'll never reach the castle." Called back the large male, a teasing chuckle in his voice.

Natsu, recognizing a challenge, brought his soul cloak into the physical realm before he and Happy took to the sky where they found stalactites of rock and sandstone suspended in place by this place's magic. Even as they flew, the air didn't feel like it was above ground. The sky was a stone-red-brown color found in caverns and the clouds felt like they were made of sand instead of liquid. After that, they descended to fly around the enormous, under/aboveground nation that existed outside of the world's knowledge.

"Amazing!" Happy said in awe, flapping his wings as he remained in place with his father doing the same but with jets of flame leaving his back as well as wings flapping.

A breathless nod answered him. "You can say that again..."

"Amazing!"

"Wait, where's the king?" Natsu asked, getting he and his son to scan the ground before their eyes befell Daphne walking alongside the tall human-like goat. "Found him!" With that said, they descended to his side, getting everyone around them to marvel at Natsu who noticed a sudden heaviness on his head before the goat king-guy reached for his brow and broke two somethings off to hold them in front of his face. They were horns again! Reeling back with a face of disgust, Natsu snarled at the things in the monarch's hands. " **Nakta nomenes youwei mojka de ve!** " It was a good thing the monarch had noticed otherwise, like they almost did during the Nirvana mission, the horns would've cooled and become permanent.

When Natsu had noticed during the mission, however, he'd used a running train to cut them off which nearly ended badly had those weird, bodysuit, farting-guys saved the train. Back in the present, the monarch looked confused for a second before blinking and smiling softly, understandingly and crushing the horns to dust with the one hand holding them as if they were made of sand. "There," Said the king. "You needn't worry now for your humanity. Please, enlighten me, who's child are you?" He inquired this with the horn dust-covered hand to his chin and an eyebrow risen, although it was obvious he had an idea who had raised the Slayer before him.

Pride overtook Natsu now, as he said without a moment's hesitation, " **S** **i mi wer deevdru di wer Ixen Darastrix Daar, Igneel. Sia ominak ui Natsu 'Salamander' Dragneel, Ixen Darastrix Sventlin der wer Irral Sventlin Grapwol, vur si mi wer Ixen Darastrix Wanotreyx. l'gra sia wiivai, sia svihelen vur sia vers!** " He finished with pride and understanding that he could speak his first language without it needing to be translated for others, getting him to mentally do a _happy_ dance and return his soul cloak to the realm of the physical, getting nearby onlookers to gasp in awe, mild fear and intrigue.

The king, understanding everything said by the pink-haired male before him, smiled before placing an arm around his midsection and bowing slightly in respect. "Then I, Asgore Dreemurr, King of the Underground which is now existing within the Chiseled Haven of Ariamis, welcome you to the Underground and, more specifically, to Deremheim!" Natsu, looking to the now named Asgore, looked at where they were and found that they were standing a few yards away from the castle gate(s), getting him to blink in confusion on how he'd missed that detail.

" **Coi,** " Said Natsu slowly, calmly with a slight bow with a fist over his heart. " **Ui vin tiichi ekess qe tenpiswo, Daar.** "

"The honor is mine." Asgore said, getting Natsu to stop bowing and follow after the ruling monarch before him.

 **Another time**

Sparks flew as blade met blade. In the large ring below the audience dueled Mikazuchi Kagura, a strange blade-armed man and Erza Scarlet. In the guild area above the ring and the contestant area, I stared at the redheaded knightess with curiosity as she was forced onto the defensive. _This woman before us struck fear into the hearts of those around her? That can't be._ (A/N: Anyone who grows up speakin' another language thinks in that language, however that wouldn't flow as cleanly so I've translated it to english for ya'll) Arms crossed in front of my chest, I glared at her and I could tell she felt my disappointment. In a split second, she faltered and was pushed up against the wall of the arena. Because of my disappointment decreasing her self-esteem and distracting her or a lack of actual skill, I didn't know.

Blades made of fine craftmanship were clashing against one another, Kagura's Archenemy was sheathed but was still slicing through the air and leaving great wounds in the stone and gravel of the arena ring. Ruber, the man with the bladed arm, was able to survive the attacks of Simon's younger sister thanks to that arm of his which Daphne had so graciously grafted and crafted to his body. _Daphne,_ I thought all of a sudden. _You must know a few things about Natsu before he became me! Why didn't I think of that earlier?! Stupid-Stupid! When I get the chance, I'm having myself a talk with you, Daphne Ariamis..._

Out of nowhere, Scarlet started emitting light and electrical sparks, getting Ruber and Kagura to continue fighting away from her as she was a hazard until-"I AM THE BONE OF MY SWORD!" Called out the knightess carrying the same first name as Millianna and Simon's daughter. The ring was then strewn with swords, all of them masterfully crafted, treated and tempered to the edge of perfection. Finished glowing, Scarlet was replaced by a semi-insectoid, tall humanoid organism. In place of hair were two, long butterfly wing-like extensions that stemmed from the sides of her head above where her ears would be and reached to the back of her head to act as hair in a sense. To the sides of her longer-than-average neck on her collarbone and down to the sides of her seemingly covered-yet-bare bosom, was a semi-reflective, grey vesting of some sort of woven, fabricated metal.

Her 'neck vesting', upper arms and thighs had what looked to be small butterfly wings sprouting from them at the sides to appear decorative or regal. Eyes, although seemingly nonexistent, had moved from the front of her face to rest slightly to the sides of her head, leaving them in the area where her cheekbones were except that they'd been enlarged so that they resembled a dragonfly's in size compared to her head. Mouth, nose and things of that nature hadn't really moved, but had been resized. Her nose was broader and flatter, giving her a humanoid insect look, and her mouth had appeared to shrink while her chin had split open as mandibles. Torso, despite having remained the same in regards to how human it looked, was slightly thinner and longer. Her bust hadn't lost size, but now her breasts, like the rest of her body, were covered in a rubbery, fleshy-metal substance that made her look like she was in a suit. Each breast was bare of any clothing, but they didn't seem naked as the nipples weren't exposed to the air.

Continuing downward and ignoring her arms, as they had remained the same if the butterfly wing-extensions were ignored, her waist was slimmer and the muscles weren't as pronounced as they were in her earlier garments. Her hips now had large butterfly wing-like expansions that extended from her hips to reach about the back of her lower calves in a duster-coat sort of fashion, while a thinner and bullet chain-reminiscent length of matter that reached the front of her lower calves. Her legs and feet were daintier and designed for agility, mobility and stealth. To add on to her bizarre appearance, every centimeter of her body had the fleshy-rubbery-metal substance acting as her skin, colored mostly tealish-green with red mixed in here and there. (A/N: I know I butchered it, but basically Fairy Tail's Titania is Titania from Warframe!)

Looking up to the lacrima projections around the arena, she called out in a semi-organic/semi-technological voice, " **I am the Warframe Titania, created in a failed warp-space travel experiment and I HAVE AWOKEN! The woman you knew is whom you hear speaking, only now remembering who she is completely...Mikazuchi Kagura, Baron Ruber, let us finish this!** " Finished speaking, she flew at her opponents, butterfly-like things appearing and taking up the swords around her as she grabbed a few and clashed once more with her opponents.

Ruber's blade arm suddenly became incredibly serrated, tearing through metal and organism alike while Kagura was batting away the swords and butterfly-like things like flies. This was getting more interesting as blade clashed with blade.

 **With Lisanna** (In the future)

Happy sat in front of me on the wall above the fight between the three sword wielders. Even as the creature Erza became fought against Ruber and Kagura, drawing my attention to every slash of the sword, I felt my eyes drift to the ledge above ours where the combatants of Dragon Arc awaited impatiently for their turn to fight. My eyes befell Natsu, causing a blush to find its place on my face like I were a little girl receiving flowers from my crush. The result of my staring was for Natsu's eyes to lock with mine and I froze instantly, followed by him turning his head towards me before glaring and jumping down to glare me dead in the eye face to face.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you it's rude to stare?" He growled, my heart aching at this hatred he emitted towards me. Natsu glared at me with those captivating, onyx eyes that had won my heart years ago. The years had been with him, as he carried age and wisdom beyond his years in those beautiful eyes of his. My blush was more pronounced now, getting Natsu to growl lowly. "What's got you all powdered? Like something you see?!" Saying that with his old, trademark grin I felt my face grow hotter at the way that grin brought me back to the days when he was still a boy and his face was contoured to that of a joyous lad.

"..." I mumbled something under my breath, getting him to lean in closer with a face of victory as he heard me clearly, reminding me that this wasn't Natsu. This wasn't _my_ Natsu.

"Hirhirhir, you're gonna have to speak up, girl, otherwise your friends won't know what's got you so red in the face." As he said this, he placed a powerful, nearly crushing grip on my shoulder that reminded me he wanted me dead, turning me to face my teammates who were staring at me confusedly, sadly and nervously at Natsu's presence.

"Hey," My adopted daughter/sister piped up accusingly. "We're your friends too, Natsu." And like that, any illusion of joy was replaced with fury as he appeared in front of Lucy with a claw readied to crush her head.

" **Vucuot duot goawy, Lenil!** " Just before his claw could land on her, Gajeel landed in front of her and caught his successor's claw in his fist, getting Natsu to snarl at him.

" **N** **omeno ui ti wer goawy ihk batobot, Sart Tilsin. Jinthil, nomeno jahus jacida svihelen. Jacida rumag, hianag vur deevdru re tenpiswo. Tir ti xurwk asta simethoti di jacion qe tisvelk...** " Gajeel said sagely, getting Natsu to growl lowly before ripping his fist away and punching it into the wall beside my head, bringing our faces close together. "You might want to tell him, Lisanna, otherwise he's going to be like this all day."

"Tell me what?" Natsu hissed, looking to me demandingly.

"Si hefoc svabol si ocuir vur keefum!" I said loud enough for the two First Generation Dragon Slayers, my teammates and my family to hear, getting Natsu to tense and turn away sharply with an air of minor confusion and discomfort before he ran up the wall and back to his place with the guild he'd helped build. "What the?"

"When he saw you, he told me he felt his heart beat ten times as fast and that he wanted to stop you from assassinating him. You see, since he's no memory of you or the family you two had, he doesn't remember what it's like to feel love like you two had. That in mind, he thought you failed to cast an assassination spell on him, but what he wanted to say was that you awoke his heart after seven years of stillness." He said this like an old friend or a knowing brother, chuckling at his antics. "Even if he acts harsh towards you-"

"He's just trying to end the tidal wave of confusion emotions spiraling inside of himself. All he knows is fighting. It's who he is and nothing, not even love, will stop that from being true. Yeah, I know that." I said to the now golf-clapping Gajeel.

"You know him better than anyone else, indeed. What you don't know is that he actually has a huge crush on you and he's so confused that any form of reciprocation will result in what just occurred." Saying this, Gajeel made his way back up to his guildmates via stairway.

"Gajeel," I called to him, getting him to turn and find himself in a hug from behind. "Thanks for the talk. It really helped with...everything."

Chuckling, he shook his head, "Gihihi. Nah, no need for thanks, Vilzriquathir Wanotreyxkaiv." I froze again, this time at the use of my mother's nickname for me, getting him to smirk and continue on his way before I shook off the shock to smirk up at a dust-cheeked Natsu, resulting in him turning away from me stubbornly.

 _Maybe there's still hope, after all..._ I thought, a sinister smile crawling onto my face while my eyes which made my teammates give me a wide berth. "Fifififififi..."

 **Some other place**

Shoving to the side with a shoulder was a stone slab, carved with fine craftsmanship if the irregular sound of stone against stone was anything to go by. The one shoving with their shoulder was a man, dimly-glowing eyes clenched shut and teeth gritted in pain as he held the joint connecting his arm to his torso. Breath visible, he inhaled and exhaled deeply before moving the slab all the way off of the stone coffin that acted as the entrance and elevator to his quarry's tomb. He fell to his knees outside of the coffin, his breath rising to the setting sunlit sky like the smoke from a crematory or the steam of a dying hot spring. After he gathered his strength, he rose and stepped into the coffin holding the white haired goddess-among-women inside, causing the stone beneath the woman and himself to start shaking before descending like an elevator and then sliding forward as if it were made on a diagonal track.

"It's been a bit since we last spoke, my dear." He said, his voice sounding tired and almost spiteful. "So why don't we chat while we wait, hmm?" The platform reached an all-time low finally, getting him to step off and walk alongside the beautiful woman who looked to be in a deep slumber. "You agree? I thought you'd be a little more uptight after you let me think you weren't well, playing the manipulated victim when it was I who manipulated by you!" A clenching of his gloved fists around a lever that he pulled, resulting in a feminine statue to light up with a regal purple lantern was what followed his words. The platform came to a stop in front of a wall where a clipboard hung, a checklist written on the paper it held in place.

He took the clipboard and pulled a pen out of his pocket, checking things off while taking a few looks at the woman bathing in purple light that complimented her noticeable nudity. Shaking his head, he returned the clipboard to its place on the wall before kneeling at her side. "I've been preoccupied, helping an interesting man clean up his friend's mess and saving people from themselves. Made friends, made enemies and I've made discoveries in the span of a few years, but it feels wrong without you at my side as much as it makes me boil at the knowledge that you let me think you were unwell!"

The purple light from the lantern gave the goddess-among-woman before him look even more beautiful than usual, getting him to lean in and claim her lips, feeling the world around him fade into anonymity. He remained there, eyes closed in rapture at the contact with the woman he'd loved for so long. Eventually, he pulled away slowly, hesitantly ending the euphoric contact between his bride and himself. Suddenly, his eyes widened in anger and he smacked her, garnering no reaction, driving him further into anger! "Even while you're like this, you bewitch and infatuate me! When will you remove this spell you have over my heart, devil?!" Striding to the wall, he grabbed simple garments foreign to the city this cemetery was in.

"Even now, I can't stand being apart from you yet you keep leaving me behind, waiting for you to come back and destroy me again...Why?" He begged, hands to his head, still holding the clothes. "Why must you be the one I chose? Why?! All you do is toy and drivel with me, as if I'm only your entertainment. Is this vengeance for taking you away or is this some sort of vendetta you have against me that began the moment you were born?"

Red tears left his eyes, wiping them away with the clothing in his hands as he choked on his own voice. "This pain, no amount of vials, antidotes, sedatives or chimes will make it stop! Please, my love, stop making me hurt like this..." He begged the woman this, coming to her side to rub at the blemish he left from striking her, his red tears finding their way onto the bruise and causing it to heal after he stroked away the tears with his long tongue, returning her flawless, pale skin to its perfection. "I'm sorry I struck you, I'm sorry I took you, I'm sorry I even met you but I can't live without you!"

Sobbing ensued, getting him to bite at himself to stop betraying the image his bride had known for so long. Eventually, he stopped to remain in silence with the lantern's burning being the only thing that kept him from hearing and seeing the whispers in the dark all around them. "How many times have I-have _we_ -done this? How many times must my heart wither away while you remain untouched by this agony?" He sighed, dressing his bride in the clothes he'd grabbed from the wall before placing his sharp nails to her temples and coursing energy into her, resulting in her eyes opening suddenly and her voice breaking the sunset in a scream.

Rising, the man started to wave his hands like he were orchestrating a choir, his voice dancing around her sounds of distress. (Cue: Safia-Counting Sheep)"'I never make a sound-fingers crossed, I shut my mouth. Thoughts, they're creeping through my teeth. Drip, drop, the night is loud-silence seems to drown me out. Box my thoughts and give me some relief! I want to let you down. Make you toss and turn around, won't you give me what I need?'"

"WHERE AM I?! WHAT'S GOING ON?! HOW DID I GET HERE?!" Before she could continue, the man before her placed a finger to her plump, kissable lips graced with red from his smooch earlier.

"All will be explained soon, my bride, Mir, but first," He rose her to her feet, the clothes she wore feeling loose and acting as a kind-of-but-not-really dress as he took her to the floor around them, dancing like they were at a great ball while he sang. "'I want to let you down. And I'm always lost, but never found. Won't you give me what I need?'" His voice was nice, carrying around the chamber they resided in decently with a noticeable need to increase his pitch for it to resound perfectly. "Tick tock, make me creep. Never ending counting sheep. Never get no sleep.'"

The woman whose left hand was in his right with her right arm over and around his shoulder was dancing gracefully despite the fact her body, although well proportioned and endowed, was obviously malnourished and appearing to be a skeleton with only skin on. Slowly, however, as they continued dancing to his singing with her voice joining his in matrimony only known to longtime lovers and truly understanding beings, her body began to fill out with muscles flourishing back to full health and her skin, so sickly pale and wrinkled, became an entrancing white like that of a bust of antimony made by a silversmith capable of putting gods to shame. Her hair, so thinned to the point there was barely anything including a few stubborn strands, began to slowly replenish itself by starting as a slight fuzz to then appear as if it were cut poorly like a male soldier.

(Uncue music. A/N: Upcoming attempt at a lemon. Don't like, don't read) Her eyes, so bright and beautiful whilst full of fear, began to magnify in gloriousness as they calmed asevery spin of their bodies together brought health back to herself. The clothes she had on were no longer loose, now they were tight and almost ready to burst in certain areas such as her bust and her hips. Around her waist was placed a weaving of small, tanned leathers from small creatures, acting as a skirt. Her voice and her heart joined his now, as she resonated with him in a cacophony of flesh, moans and song.

From the man who held her waist with his left arm came red liquid that crawled and leaked onto her body, droplets penetrating her pores with an excitement and vigor that resulted in vibrations she found blissful. The cells this strange, blood-like substance touched were now on fire with enrapturing pleasure. Bodies against each other now, they embraced the other and kissed, the man's body reacting with blood flowing to his nether regions, causing a sizeable bulge to arise.

Said tent in his pants rubbed into his beloved's groins through her knickerless skirt, getting her to moan at the feeling of the tanned leather touching her nether lips in such a stimulating manner. The blood that climbed into her pores was now in her system, swimming in her sweat glands and multiplying the cells inside enough for them to start overflowing and merging with the other cells in her body, resulting in a beautiful feeling of dancing beneath the skin and atop the muscle. Chest heaving now from the continued stroking of her nether lips, her top was cast aside to expose her large bust to his advances.

Gloved hands now bare, her groom grabbed the sizeable orb-like mounds of delicious flesh and squeezed firmly, getting her to moan excitedly at the contact. Blood reached around from the man to his bride, pulling her closer as he pressed her against the wall and himself, grinding his crotch to her own, growling pleasurably. Suddenly, she pushed him away and ripped his clothes off of him, followed by his returning the favor although slowly, teasingly and romantically which she was having none of.

Ripping the skirt of small animal leathers from its stitches around the bottom of her opened bustier, she proceeded to take her groom by the hand and lead him to the platform she'd awoken on before pushing him down on it. "It's about time we consummate our marriage after all this time, don't you think, Alucard Bellmont of Cainhurst Castle?" Not waiting for an answer, she placed herself atop her man with her nether lips above his mouth and her mouth now engulfing his phallus. Her action was met with a moan of surprise and pleasure from the man beneath her as her head bobbed up and down on him, his eyes rolling into the back of his head and his mind focused on only the pleasure his bride bestowed upon him with her skilled tongue slithering around his mast and the power of the suction her mouth had as if she didn't want to stop tasting the flesh of her lover. Pulling away slowly, sucking heavily on the glans before letting go with a loud pop, she smirked with her tongue trailing the underside of Alucard's cock, her tongue tracing every vein. "How cute," She said teasingly, knowing her man was trying to come to terms with how good she made him feel. "The Crow of Cainhurst can't take his wife doing her 'womanly duties'. As delicious as you taste and as amazing as you make me feel right now, it's not as fun if I'm playing alone."

To emphasize her words, she gave Alucard's glans a long, lasting kiss with her tongue teasing the slit at the tip while she shook her wide, child bearing hips. All she received was a moan of acknowledgement, getting her to pout in disappointment as she went to return to her long-awaited treat when she was struck with a jolt of excruciating pleasure skillfully given to her by a long, slim muscle escaping from her husband's fang-filled mouth. "I see Cainhurst teaches its inhabitants-Oh-how to pleasure they're wives! Mmm, that's the spot-right there!" She said this when Alucard's tongue came to find her g-spot, exploiting and torturing it mercilessly while he exerted his control over her pink folds.

A predatory chuckle left him as his mouth clamped around her mound, getting her to squeal in surprised bliss that her husband knew her well enough to garner this half-lidded, seductress state out of her with his expertise in pain. Suddenly, her vagina was filled with multiple long, rough and snake-like tongues that started stroking every inch of her innards until she felt about ready to scream to the Waning Crescent moon on the horizon above the tomb. Not one to be outdone, even when the ability to think was nearly impossible, she weakly began to pleasure her husband with all the skill she'd developed over the years of playing with dildos.

For a while all they did was lick and stroke, toying with the other until Alucard morphed an extra arm that formed a multiple tongue-filled mouth which latched onto Mir's anus, getting her to turn red and look back at the new source of pleasure she was receiving with such gusto it seemed as if her husband wanted to eat her ass. His actual mouth pulled away, an arm similar to the one at her ass taking care of her pussy while he spoke, eyes half-lidded from the feeling of his beautiful wife's soft hands stroking him off. "It's true that back home, all members of the Cainhurst bloodline are taught the arts of pain, but we're taught the arts of pleasure more importantly. That's why you've always been ready to fuck, even when you were pregnant, because I was sending the signals that triggered you to want pleasure..."

His words were followed by the mouth-arms to become more fervent than before in their pleasuring of Mir's orifices, getting her to moan loudly with her tongue lolling out and finding Alucard's cock teasing her oral muscle. This became a competition of pleasure between the two of them, Mir using her throat so much she nearly suffocated(choked) from how much she tried to keep that dick inside her mouth and throat while Ally created a few more limbs that started teasing, touching and massaging her weak spots, pulling and tweaking her nipples until she started leaking milk which resulted in Ally making new appendages to start drinking from her magnificent breasts.

However, all things must come to an end, and this came to a loud end. Their efforts became more and more desperate, their desire for release being the only thing in their minds as Mir wrapped her legs around Ally's head which had returned to its place at her pussy and one of Ally's hands kept Mir bobbing on his cock. Faster and faster they licked and sucked. Harder and harder they thrusted and rubbed. More and more they got closer and closer until they came in each other's respective mouth, the sound of their pleasure being a united cry to the sky. (A/N:Lemon over)

Gasping, Mir piped up, "I guess no one in the city's asleep anymore, huh?"

"Hehe," Ally began. "My bride, the city's not gonna sleep at all with what's going to happen tonight. Speaking of which, I'm sorry for this. 'SEEK PALEBLOOD TO TRANDSCEND THE HUNT!'" Before Mir could ask what he meant, he grabbed a blank letter nearby and knocked his wife unconscious, redressing her and leaving the letter in her breast pocket. After that, he redressed himself and took his bride to the nearby clinic belonging to a young woman named Dr. Iosefka Jekyll and Faurecia Hyde, the daughter of the good man Dr. Henry Jekyll and Mr. Edward Hyde and the lovely lady Enoshima Junko.

When he arrived there, carrying his wife bridal style like he always did, he entered through the broken window on the second story, using the nearby planks to create a small bridge into the clinic. At his side were two large, glowing eyes carrion crows that rattled quietly, staring at the strange, blood-smelling creature holding the woman. Finished creating the makeshift bridge with tendrils of blood and bones acting as railing, he stepped into the hallway where he heard eccentric laughter coming from the balcony over the sickroom.

"Knock knock," Alucard called out, getting a drunk-moving woman to open the door-behind-a-painting by leaning backwards with a crazed smile and the blush of someone so drunk on substances that they were practically jelly. Her eyes were tired, bags under them yet the liveliness they held was a sign of how mad she was. Hair thick and colored strawberry blonde tied into two pigtails, she had a tall, hourglass figure that was well pronounced in the 'oddly'-tight and miniskirt version attire of a tomb prospector with the added accessory of strange, aquatic-alien appendages draped over her arms and around her neck in a strange scarf.

"Huhuhuhu-Who's there?-Hehehehheahahaha!" Asked back Junko, as that was her name, eyes a gentle blue that contrasted entirely with her personality. "Are you a patient-Hahahaha-or are you offering yourself up to me agai-" She suddenly noticed the woman in his arms, getting her to sober up and stand normally before she appeared in front of him, inspecting the woman she felt was on par with her in the beauty department. "Oh! Is this your illusive and illustrative goddess?! You always said she was of noble lineage and wonderful to gaze upon, but you're so...huh," Without reason, she bent backwards at an angle that expressed her gymnast-level flexibility as she groaned arousedly, " _Hopelessly_ ineffective at giving all of the details...mmm...You always know how to make me feel so _hopelessly good!_ Nothing like my husbands..."

She said this with a pout, arousal obvious in her eyes and apparent in the air she emitted. "You and I both know that you love them both unconditionally, or should I say..." A knowing smirk came onto his face, Junko having the same look as she waited in anticipation for the thing she knew he'd say, "Hopelessly?" Like throwing bottle of fine, delicious wine into a fire, Junko had an explosion of an orgasm, wracking through her body and getting her to scream in release.

Alucard smirked at his friend, knowing that word had such an effect when she was triggered or aroused. She remained bent backwards, the appendages on her attire having flailed about wildly during her cry of release but now writhing sluggishly, tiredly, lethargically. "Have you had your daily dose of masochistic pleasure yet, Junko, or must I ask for Hyde to get handsy?"

"Mm! No need," Junko answered, a few fingers in her mouth, blush so bright she was practically a candle. "I'm finished for now. Anyway," She calmed down, her high gone in an instant when she put on some glasses and the alien appendages on her clothes held her pigtails in a ponytail. "What seems to be the issue with your wife?"

"She needs to be administered some coldblood so she can become a hunter and get me to Gehrman to fix the mistakes I made years ago." A look of understanding came to her eyes as she removed the glasses, the appendages letting go of her hair as a result, and she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Tilting her head down towards her with a hand on his lightly bearded chin, she said soothingly, "There aren't mistakes, just happy accidents, Ally. Your part in all of this made this town turn into a city and gave so many people a reason to live, and you made so much despair arise that I'm almost always on cloud eleven. No beating yourself up for something that no one's asking to be changed. What you did was exactly what was needed and more, so there's no problem."

Her words made him smile his sharp fanged smile, "Thanks Junko, you're amazing at lifting my hopes up," She grimaced angrily at the last word before he held up a hand to stop her resulting tirade, "Only for them to be destroyed and landing me in despair later." And like that she was on the ground, whimpering and moaning as she writhed in masochistic pleasure.

"My-MMMM-HusBANDD AAAA is in the sickroom, treating a few who've turned into beasts. Oh please," Junko begged, eyes quivering and her tongue sticking out of her mouth slightly. "Let me finish...Please!" Tears were in her eyes at the fact that her friend had used two of her trigger words to wind her up and didn't finish her, making her feel despair but not enough to finish thanks to his tampering with her physiology.

A 'disappointed', 'displeased' sigh left the Draculina standing above the writhing, ultimate of masochists. "You're absolutely, unquestionably hopeless, Jekyll-Hyde Enoshima Junko-Otonashi Ryoko of Yharnam, former student of Hope's Peak Academy and you should feel ashamed of yourself." He said this like a disappointed father, eyes judging her as every word made her convulse and contort strangely before he finished speaking, stepping over her now wailing in agonizingly blissful pleasure body.

The door at the end of the hallway opened violently, getting him to let some 'borrowed' eyes surface on the skin of his scalp to see a blue creature.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

That's a wrap ladies, gents an' other! Today I tried to write another lemon and now we know where this shitstorm's headin'. Well, I do, none of ya'll do. SCISCISCISCISCISCI! Natsu and Happy met the Underground, Ally and Mir met back up for a proper 'reunion' and, in the future, Erza turns into a warframe. What the fuck could I possibly be doing? Creating an amalgamate that will most likely result in hitmen and hitwomen come for my ass with how salty ya'll will probably become.

(As always: thanks for bein' here, please R&R,no flamin' my ass, constructive criticism an' SEE YA-G'NIGHT!)


	27. Two Princes in the King's Court

Whaz up ladies, gents an' other! I'll be trying out something new again. (*Receives death threats and actions following through on those threats immediately, followed by boos*) Now that's not fair, at all! Here I am doin' my damnedest to make somethin' entertainin' an' here I am, gettin' stabbed and beaten for moving to improve the experience. WHAT THE FUCK?! Assholes aside, I'm also gonna try makin' the fights more exciting and creative, but I'm more of a plot kinda person to be honest, so if I fail then I'm sorry.

Another thing, I know I said I'd probably not have anythin' at the start of these chapters, but I'm gonna go on record an' say that if I've somethin' to say I'm gonna say it. In other news, the new semester has started which means new and more drama at school, from both students and staff which will probably result in my chapters seeming a bit more...pessimistic, angry or maybe a little dark, depending. But know that ya'll are the reason that I write 'sides the catharsis and enjoyment of the story itself.

Sappy as it is to say, I wouldn't be here without people like ya'll to pat me on the back for encouragement or comfort and that means a lot. I know next to none of you, but I'm not afraid of reviews or _everyone's_ opinion thanks to several of you's compliments and criticisms. This seems gratuitous, and it is, except for me this is something I've needed to say for a while and never had the stomach to get out there. So, please, if ya wanna review this or my other stories, don't be afraid to. I don't usually bite.

I'm curious on the theories ya'll have and the ideas ya'll have for the future. Haven't actually said it until now, but I'm not afraid of taking requests or hearing any of ya'll out on your ideas. A few of my ideas I got from all of you, actually. But I can't remember what those ideas were, so...I'm not sure what point I'm trying to make so let's get to the stuff all of you came here for! I don't own Fairy Tail or any other media I bring into my story or stories.

 _Thoughts or emphasis_

'Paraphrasin'

"Normal speech"

" **Inhuman speech** "

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

A young, blue-eyed, blonde-haired woman was standing within a ring of light, staring down Mirajane. "I think it's high time we end this little competition of ours, hm?" As she said that, her top-model figure was engulfed in a brilliant light that faded to reveal she was garbed in a bustier made of straps of a magenta-colored material that resembled belts. Covering the upper part of her bust was a white plating that rode up her neck and ended at her ears that were covered by ear protectors which reached above her head as a ruffled navy headband. Fine legs wearing tight fabric that reflected the light of the sun like some of the Titania's armor sets, she wore on her feet elevated, tactical boots suited for combat.

"Competition?" Mirajane snerked, leaning against Ally who stared at Gray in front of him passively. "Honey, honey, if this were a competition then you'd have lost back when you were eighteen because I've been doing this years longer than you have!" She said this with a sinister smirk that her partner wore as well, although in his case it spread across his body in a horrific manner. White hair waving in a now present, ongoing gust of wind, it looked as if her head was alight with white-hot fires found only in purgatory!

"Let's keep this quick, Realight," Gray said, eyes never leaving the menacingly smirking Alucard ahead of him as sweat crawled down the Ice Devil Slayer's brow. "I don't want to fight that thing longer than I have to." As he said this, he allowed his marking to surface over his skin when he was sent flying back by a sole punch to the face.

"Fullbuster!" Jenny called out, turning to look at her temporary partner only to be met with a fiery boot to the midsection.

" **Don't lose focus, girl!** " Said Mirajane, her appearance matching her menacing aura. A dark, revealing overcoat is what adorns her fair body. The overcoat had a wide high collar that was connected to the fabric covering her breasts with a belt circling underneath her breasts to prevent them from coming free. Hands and neck protected with armor plating, her neck armor climbed up to the sides of her head as horn-like extensions over her ears while her hands were guarded by clawed gauntlets.

She came away from her strike, fire following her feet as she did, to reveal she was wearing a large, dark cape that did nothing to hide the fact that her skin had changed complexions and markings so drastically. What looked to be thigh-high boots were actually just markings and odd bone structure on her legs and the light blue of her upper body that resembled an undersuit of some variety was really just her blue-stained flesh. She looked at her handiwork only to find she hadn't left a scratch, getting her to laugh menacingly. " **I don't get a challenge like this anymore ever since I had my baby, but now it looks like I'll get to cut loose a little bit, eh, Jenny?** "

"Looks that way. Fullbuster," Jenny called back to her temporary partner.

"..." Said Devil Slayer was staring into the eyes of Alucard, fear being the prominent emotion when he was thrown back into the arena where he flipped back to stand against his opponent. "I'm fine. Worry about yourself! Shit!" A punch was directed at his face, getting him to cross his arms in front of his head with ice encompassing the area that took the hit, cushioning the blow enough for him to push Ally back with the ice forming around him. "Ice-Make Floor! Ice Devil's Soaring Blight!"

The ground became an ice rink, resulting in Alucard and Jenny sliding stiffly like a child being on the ice for the first time in their life. From Gray's now extended hand came flying, bird-like arrows that homed in on him before he dispersed as a mass of bloody tendrils which resulted in the bases of each tendril being pierced and frozen in an instant. His reaction was one of fear followed by relieved cockiness that confused Gray until he heard Alucard's partner call out, " **Ignition!** " Like that, all the ice in the arena was melted, the frozen portions of Ally included before appeared at Gray's side with a claw piercing the student of Ur's stomach.

"Thanks Mira." Ally said gratefully. "Now, what to do with you?" He asked this as he pulled his claw out of the young man's midsection, causing blood and gastric acid to pour out grossly. This resulted in Gray surfacing his markings and forming a patch of ice in the wound so it would stop the escaping of his bodily fluids.

Breathing shakily, breath visible as he lowered the air temperature to hasten his healing, Gray spoke. "Shit, that hurts! You didn't hesitate...this isn't your first time playing the murder game, huh?"

"Correct. I'm the one the Magic Council first employed as the Slayer of Slayers a century ago and I'm the one who's won this fight between us." Gray smirked at Alucard's statement, getting his brow to raise in curiosity.

Jenny and Mirajane were exchanging blows. Kick for a kick. Punch for a punch. Head against head. They were evenly matched until Mira smiled darkly and was engulfed in an inferno that vanished to reveal her once exposed, blue tinted flesh was now covered in armor made from what appeared to be obsidian. Plates of the glass-like stone moved upwards and over her other areas of armor, improving her durability and damage output as she punched Jenny in the stomach and received a gasp in response. " **Oh, that's more like it. I've missed this feeling of exhilaration. Come on! Change forms, bring out a stronger soul and we can keep going! Make this last! Give me what I've been missing for years!** " She said this like a deranged maniac, her punches getting blocked but the damage being done as a black mist escaped her armor.

 _If I don't do as she says, I'm fucked! Fine then, you want a fight? I'll give you the best fight of your life!_ "Machina Soul: Marion!" Engulfed in light, she was now dressed in a simple skirt and a long sleeved, tight-fitting shirt colored black except for three, vertical white buttons and the stripes on her sleeves. On her legs were white stockings, but what really drew everyone's attention was the way she had a constant stream of tears leaving her eyes paired with an unnatural blush. "String." From out of nowhere Gray lost control of his limbs and was forced to stand in front of a closed-eyes Jenny Realight.

Without any warning, Gray formed ice around his arm and elbow before charging at his former guildmate before Alucard intercepted him and destroyed the ice, resulting in his mass freeze until Mira thawed him. "What the hell?!" Gray demanded, his markings surfacing and his Slayer spells activating without his say-so. His limbs were moving fluidly like they would any other part of the day, but they weren't moving how he wanted them to! "Realight, what's the meaning of this?!"

"Be quiet, puppet." She said this with a sickly sweet smile that seemed too much like the smiles Mirajane made when they were younger. _No, that's not what I wanted to say! It's not me! IT'S NOT ME ANYMORE! WHAT'S GOING ON?! WHY CAN'T I CONTROL MY OWN BODY?!_

" **Something's not right, Ally.** " Mira said with narrowed eyes.

"Obviously." Sending out a wave of blood, it rose as spikes that were aimed for Jenny before they were serrated and destroyed by Gray and something else. "Weird. I wonder..." He sent out a few more waves only the last one was set alight by Mirajane, getting the ice to melt and getting the threads coming from Jenny's fingertips to reflect the light more directly.

" **That explains it!** "

Before they could use this information to their advantage, Alucard's physical body was minced by the threads in an instant, getting him to fall as a sentient mass of fleshy bits and blood. "Damn it!" He muttered before his vocal organs came apart.

" **Regenerate as soon as you can, okay?** " No answer came, but she knew he heard her when she barely dodged the same threads that had just turned her guildmate into mincemeat. Turning to look at her opponent and former guildmate, she glared at Jenny with ire. " **What's your angle? This isn't like the girl I've watched grow into a model...** "

"Show's what you know!" Jenny said before Gray sent devil arrows of ice at Mirajane's head, resulting in a wall of blood to rise and absorb them with haste.

" **Although unnecessary, you have my t** **hanks Ally.** " The wall of blood started to solidify in his human form.

"Not a problem, my dear." He said this with a slight purr in the back of his throat, his eyes cast towards their opponents. "But I think they might be-HA!" After saying that, he ran a ring around their opponents only to vanish and reappear behind Gray as a large, black dog with eyes red and mannerisms rabid. The world seemed to slow down for Gray Fullbuster in that moment, eyes wide and body acting like it weren't his own, as the canid twice as big as a warhorse lunged its gaping maw towards him to devour him. His life, his friends, his family and his ambitions flashed before his eyes, the world losing all color as the animal's pearly teeth glinted in the sunlight.

Instead of fear gripping his heart, it was regret and utter sadness. _Am_ _I going to die here? Is this how it all ends?! Not even twenty years old and I'm being executed in front of a live audience...Fitting that a Slayer should be killed publicly, I guess._ He thought these things when a sound, or rather, a feeling overcame him. _What the?_ From deep inside his being, he felt a stirring of the might he'd been repressing ever since the Tenrou Group returned. _NO!_

 _Let me help you!_ Gray 'heard', the voice of Juvia, Ultear, Ur and Silver echoing in his mind. _This isn't the time nor the place to give up and die. Does this seem even remotely close to the death deserving of Ur's student, Silver's son and Juvia's-MY-love? Not here._ The voice changed from an overlapping of multiple people to only Juvia's utterances. _You're better than this, Gray! Would you accept any of your friends giving up in the middle of a fight?!_

His eyes, once wide and full of despair, narrowed with determination filling them. _No...No I wouldn't!_ And like that, the world returned to normal but with a sudden declaration from Gray, "Soul Resonance...Ice Devil's Soul-Force!" The canine attempting to devour him was met with a sudden rush of frost and pain as Gray's fist met with the large tongue in front of him, resulting in the entire animal freezing in its entirety while simultaneously causing the taught strings threaded around his body to freeze and shatter.

"What?!" Jenny demanded, stomping her foot on the ground with her arms down at her sides stiffly and her hands balled. "You can't take my puppet away, cheaters!"

The frozen dog was thawed by an aloof Mirajane, getting the canid to come to her side when she waved her hand in farewell. " ** _We_ didn't, Jenny. He freed himself, and it change the fact that you two have lost.** "

"Lost?" Gray scoffed, body covered in markings from abdomen to shoulders and up his neck. "I'm just getting started!"

Jenny shouted in agreement, "YEAH!" Her outburst got a curious look from Gray before a translucent, red dome rose above their heads. "What the?!"

A sickening chuckle left the black hound at Mirajane's side before it reformed into the human shape Ally used regularly. "Don't worry," He said blandly. "This won't kill you, but you're gonna wish it did! Mira." With a glance between them, Mirajane sighed in disappointment at the lackluster results Jenny had presented and kicked some dirt into the base of the dome her partner had placed on the ground, resulting in the dirt igniting the blood that formed the base of the dome.

" **You're as boring as ever, Realight...** " The moment she said that, the ignited blood burst into a story-and-a-half tall pillar of flames, resulting in Gray and Jenny screaming in pain. Both Sphinx Refuge mages looked to find they hadn't even lasted a third of the time limit, getting Mira to shake her head irritably as she returned back to normal while Ally stared silently.

 **Different time**

Rain beat down upon me as the white haired beauty gasped for air, having run to my place atop the hill beside my house, bringing me into a tight embrace I didn't return, although I did consider it deeply. She shuddered, breath shaky and eyes hidden from me as I stared blankly at her. "Did I know you?" I asked simply, getting her to pull back and prepare a punch for my face before I beat her to the punch with a blow to the stomach. "Obviously I did," I began. "Judging by your reaction. Maybe you were an old friend? What's your name?"

"You should fucking know what my name is," She coughed. "Natsu!" A jolt of shock shot through my body, a jolt of unfamiliar feelings that I didn't like. Growling, I took a deep breath to stop myself from doing something stupid.

I exhaled and asked, "That doesn't answer my question, girl. Now, if all you're going to do is waste my time then you should leave my property." A look of indignation and hurt plastered itself on her face.

"I've lived with you here for years, Natsu! Stop with this bullshit and quit this amnesia charade." And like that, any chance of negotiating was gone. I knocked her off her feet and caught her by her arm, swinging her around into a tree which resulted in her arm dislocating while the wind was knocked out of her.

"Hehe, I might have heard you out had you not called my amnesia a charade. You see, I don't like being reminded that I'm not what people want, especially when it's concerning things I don't remember or understand due to this condition. With that in mind, I think I'm done being nice." With that said, I pulled her by her dislocated arm onto my foot and kicked her into the air which I followed up with a swift kick to the stomach, causing her to go flying into the sand on the beach a short distance from my home. "So, I'm only going to ask this one more time," I said as I strode to stand above her, grabbing her gently by her throat. "What's your name?"

Weakly, she piped out her name before passing out. "Lisanna Strauss-Dragneel..." I immediately dropped her before I heard the approach of footsteps, getting me to turn and see my predecessor and successor guildmasters of Dragon Arc as well as a large, white haired man.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER, BASTARD?!" Demanded the charging white haired man, receiving a swift knee to the gut from me which knocked him out from the force.

"Basically that." I answered simply, eyes betraying nothing while I used them to watch him fall on his face. "What are you two doing here?" Came my inquiry, turning to look at Wendy, Gajeel and Laxus.

" **W** **iilirka wer upadoc ghent jaciv tira ti confn spical ihk vi lauth klewnoric.** " Gajeel answered before he came over and picked up the two unconscious fools, nearing me as well to hear what I wanted to say.

Sighing, I said quietly, " **Jaciv xoal'si ekess svent ve ini xurwkir sia kornari donotreska lae kiarf lae asildk klewari temepilt. Si shilta ti origato jacioniv sulta sia tobor!** " Although it was subtle, I noticed a twitch of a smile on Gajeel's face.

" **Si ocuir...** " Gajeel muttered as he walked away, the two white haired fools still unconscious in his arms.

I asked, " **Svabol?** "

" **Tir ti xihood zahae coi.** " Wendy piped up, coming to stand in front of me with a glimmer of mischief. " **Si mi jaunus wux re kiri bim ekess kampiun coi, iligan.** " Her words were made to get under my skin, and they did their job all too well.

" **O** **rigato ui|ulph ocuir sjek si mi kiri bim ekess gjahall wux!** " My knuckles cracking as I said this, I prepared for a spat against the Slayer who succeeded me. Throwing a punch I knew she'd dodge, I readied myself for a breath attack before she seemed to appear behind me. Before I could react she elbowed me in the back in the head with enough force to throw me into unconsciousness.

 **Different time**

"You can't hurt me, you filthy outsider! I know all your tricks and I know how your ilk work." An elderly woman said this to Mir, garbed in the attire of the Old Lord Keepers.

 _Alright, I think it's time I set the record straight with this wench._ Mir thought, grabbing the woman by her throat and tossing her into ceiling before catching her on the second story railing by her throat once more. "Okay, bitch, let's get something straight here. I didn't save you, I _spared_ you! You're not my obligation, no one in this city is my obligation unless I say so. And another thing, I was here when this city was founded and let me tell you, I've been here before your great-grandmother sold herself as nothing more than a source of pleasure and failed to abort your mother! All night you've been talking a big game about how foreigners are Yharnam's doomed when really, this _entire fucking town was made by foreigners!_ "

"Lies! Slander! Assault! Help me!" The woman in her hand cried out to the others in the chapel, getting none to bat an eye at her or her plight except Dwight the chapel dweller but even he was silent. "W-Why aren't you doing your job, hunter?! You're supposed to prot-"

"Protect this _town_ , it's people are a consequence. They're not the objective. Hunters are in Yharnam to stop the spread of the Beast Scourge, but what no one in this city understands is that we're sparing you out of moral decision, not obligation or orders. So, you can take that argument and burn it like Old Yharnam. Another thing, just because I look like I'm young doesn't mean I am. Some of the beasts in this city are over a century old but have only resurfaced because they smell food, meaning the likelihood of any of those militiamen-turned beasts being able to kill them an absolute impossibility. You and that ratbag of a bastard down there have done nothing but belittle and degrade the lives of everyone in this chapel.

"Because of the transgressions made by the two of you, I'm putting you to work." Mir said this, tightening her grip around the woman's throat when she made to argue. Hopping down from the second story, Mir tossed the older woman outside, attracting the attention of a church servant that was killed swiftly by Mir's rifle. "You," She said while pointing at the narrow-minded man sharply. "Go out there and help her find anything of value you can carry while looking for survivors. Bring anything of value here and direct any survivors to this chapel to act as a haven. NOW!" He did as ordered frightfully, receiving a punch in the gut as he passed her.

 _I used to love this city, now I want it to rot away into a beast-infested Hell..._ Sighing, Mir strode over to where Arianna and Dwight were conversing with Adelle who held the bundle of joy Mir had held for several years. "Has my little girl behaved for the past few hours?"

"Of course, m'lady." Dwight said unconfidently, getting Mir to pat him on the shoulder compassionately while Arianna held his hand comfortingly as Adelle prepared a vial of blood for the mother to use. The moon might have been hanging low but some people's moods couldn't be lowered.

 **With Natsu in the castle**

Natsu and Happy were following after Asgore, the sound of metal pole meeting stone accompanying them as they strode through a corridor with beautifully crafted windows where the sounds of birds singing and the smell of flowers bloom was noticeable. They came in front of a large darkened doorway when a single, glowing blue eye appeared in its shadow, getting Happy and Natsu to ready themselves for a fight before out stepped a ghastly pale man with so little meat on his body he was all skin and bones. He wasn't very tall compared to the other skeletal man at his side who stood at a head short of Asgore.

Said man-goat was about eight feet tall, so that set the taller skeleton somewhere around seven feet. The shorter skeleton with the glowing eye was as taller than Levy but still shorter than Natsu by a few inches. The shorter of the two wore a white coat familiar to chemists and astrologers, the shirt underneath being a simple blue with black and white striped shorts going with it. Completing the look with toed sandals, he looked like a regular-enough researcher in this kingdom. On his coat was a name tag that read 'Sans'.

The other, taller one wore heavy red boots and a blue speedo as well as a wooden cuirass painted white that had a set of symbols set over the left pectoral. His limbs had several lames of differing materials making up segmented, articulatable armor. Boots kept on tight with belts, chains and a lame or two, and faulds of leather colored green, he completed his interesting appearance with a long orange-red scarf that resembled a cape at the right angle as well as a longer green cape and orange gauntlets/vambraces made of what smelled like clay!

"Ah," Asgore began, a pleasant air about him towards the strange pair. "Papyrus; Sans. I see you've done as has been asked?" He received a nod from the shorter one named Sans as well as a bow from the taller one most likely called Papyrus, his hands behind his back like Daphne had done when she knelt before him earlier.

"Yes, Sire," Papyrus answered, rising from his bow. "All of the Extractors have been returned to their natural states thanks to the efforts of Sans and The Great Papyrus!, Nyeheh!" Finished speaking, he crossed his arms and smiled proudly with closed eyes getting Asgore to pat him firmly on the shoulder in thanks.

"Even though they were stubborn, Pap's negotiating skills are superb and able to move even the cruelest of hearts. Speaking of hearts, who are the new Beathearts?" Saying this, Sans' glowing eye faded to reveal dark eyes similar to Natsu's in a reversed color scheme of black sclera and white pupils, although his iris color was a light, semi-reflective blue.

"Thank you for the praise, Brother, but we shouldn't assume they're hostile before getting to know them!" His carrying voice finished being used, he opened his eyes to reveal they were completely black except for a similarly reflective, noticeable orange irises.

Natsu, reaching his hand outward, shook Papyrus' sharp-clawed gauntlet-covered hand firmly. "I am Natsu Dragneel, Prince of Fire Dragons, son of Igneel, King of Fire Dragons. Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Papyrus. Same goes to you, Sans." He made to extend his hand before Sans caught it quickly, startling him before he heard a fart sound, receiving loads of laughter from Sans as he pulled a whoopee cushion out from between his hand bones.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! The old whoopee-cushion-in-the-hand trick never fails to get a laugh." Behind a failing-to-stifle-laughter Natsu, Happy burst into chortling tears, his little body seeming to give out under the stress of his laughing's intensity.

Papyrus shook his head with a hand to his face. "Sans, must you do that to all strangers you meet? It was funny the first few times, but now it seems gratuitous."

Said skeleton sighed as he finished laughing, the shape of his mouth remaining mostly smile-like in a strange manner unfamiliar to the surfacers. "Maybe you're right, bro, but it's almost become a tradition with me that I greet every person I meet for the first time with a whoopee cushion in my hand. Instead, maybe I should shake it up a little with other gags, hmm?"

"That sounds like it would be interesting, but you might run out of tools for that quicker than if you were to just greet them normally." Papyrus responded, hand to his chin in thought while Asgore smiled at the brothers' idle chatter.

"Forgive me for interrupting you, boys, but is everyone else in the throne room?" Asgore's question received looks of silent agreement between the two brothers before Papyrus nodded and opened the double doors into the sky-lit room the size of Fairy Tail's guildhall after being repaired. The walls were crawling with vines but it didn't seem repulsive or unwanted and the floor was grassy with golden flowers surrounding the purple-red and golden throne in the center of the flower ring. Around and within the ring of flowers were several other individuals, some human and some not very much.

A piscine humanoid stood facing the door from the far wall to the left of the throne, their appearance very human before taking a drink from the water bottle at their hip. Wearing spiked, black armor, they stood at Natsu's height but had longer, red hair as well as a larger chest although that was hard to notice with the armor being so prominent. Her skin was blue except for her lips and the areas around her eyes as well as the fins that acted as her ears. Eyes the color of the sun, she had neither iris nor flat teeth, but that wasn't an issue as her shark-like grin looked like a challenge Natsu would want to accept.

The fish-like being's human appearance lessened when she took a swig from her water bottle, getting her to appear more piscine. Her earfins opened more, making themselves more prominently noticeable, and her hair held in a ponytail rose slightly to reveal it had not only hair but fins, fish scales, luminescent orbs at the ends of strange extensions, and weirdly enough, some tentacles could be seen amidst her locks. Not only did her hair and earfins seem less human, but her face lost its dangerous yet kind expression by the accounts of Happy and Natsu. Instead, her vertical, black pupils seemed more ferocious and her shark-like teeth, two of which were yellowed from use, seemed to become more threatening and challenging, getting Natsu's blood to pump with adrenaline at the chance of a fight as well as the feeling of being threatened. However, the moment he made to prepare an attack the fish-lady was ready to return after making eye contact, Happy went into Battle Mode and held his father back while the fish-lady was held back from above by the next creature the king's guests noticed.

On the wall above the piscine warrior was a large, goggle-wearing yellow crested gecko-ish reptile with a swiveling turret on her lower back as well as what looked to be clawed, rubber gloves. Wearing a tanktop that seemed to make her uncomfortable if the way she kept looking around anxiously, she also wore a pair of knee-length shorts as well as spurs held to the backs of her feet by spur straps and a sharp arrowhead was at the end of her tail. When she turned her head, the turret turned the same way which drew the two mages' attention to the object attached to a belt-like strap of material at the back of her upper jaw. The presence of the spur straps didn't surprise the two visitors that much, nor did the device on her head really shock them, but what she said did while they assumed her gender because she sounded female. "Undyne, please d-d-d-don't start a f-f-f-f-fight in the King's presence!"

Her words got a look of exasperation from the piscine warrior and a sigh of hesitant acceptance with a purple color dusting her cheeks, "Alright, Alphys, but only because you and Queen Toriel are here." Finished speaking, the now identified Undyne's decision got the gecko on the wall, presumably Alphys, to nod and sigh in relief. A chuckle came from next to the throne, getting the two to look there before Natsu and Happy which let them notice the turret on Alphys' back had 'ALPHYS-UG1' inscribed on its side.

Natsu and Happy, after noticing the inscription, turned their heads to see a human-like nanny goat. She was slightly shorter than Asgore and had feminine qualities, but she also had a different atmosphere around her. Whereas Asgore carried himself with humility, pride in his people and wisdom learned through failures, she had about her an understanding of things he had learned the hard way, a trust in her fellow person and a compassion known to only belong to a mother. Garbed in a gown the color of royalty, she had a triangular figure of a woman who had curve below the waist in a familiar manner to several women Natsu had encountered in passing.

Beside her was a flower like the rest of the flowers in the throne room, but this one was different in the fact that it had a face in its center. From behind Natsu and Happy dashed a bipedal reptile of a similar hue to their scales as Alphys that nearly ripped Happy's sewn-back-on-wing, wearing a green and white waist-length sarong as a shirt and cape . Around the creature's lower body was a long sleeved crop top, its whip-like tail going through the hole for the head and shoulders while its muscular, clawed legs went through the frilled sleeves. The coloration of the crop top was a desert and tundra camouflage, which made some sense with the desert colors as this looked to be a desert dwelling creature. It wore cage bars in place of goggle lenses like an eye mask which was understandable if its lack of arms and blackened eyes were anything to go by. Said eyes were young, inquisitive yet experienced and not to be trifled with, as those slitted, purple eyes that stared into Happy's briefly as it passed them.

There were spikes on the back of its head where the cagey goggles were held in place by rings in the strap. Although this creature was obviously a child, it had noticeable teeth like those of a sawblade, able to tear flesh apart if need be. Following its fast footfalls would receive anyone of great observation the knowledge that this creature had a small metal plate underneath the ball of both digitigrade feet, and those small plates were attached to an upgraded ankle guard that athletes often wore after certain injuries.

Suddenly, the creature fell to one knee before Asgore, Undyne and the female humanoid goat, panting from an obviously long run. Following it was a similar creature only different. Grey in coloration, it was about a head taller in height than the other one although slightly slimmer and with slightly smaller teeth as well as smaller-yet-more-numerous spikes on the back of its head. Wearing a desert camouflage and backless long sleeved shirt like pants, the shirt reached up to below its neck in a way that seemed comfortable for the creature. It had no cape or scarf or sarong to signify its rank, but instead wore green and black neckties, bowties and ribbons on the spikes on the back of its head. This individual's eyes were pupiless and wholly white although it was clear this creature wasn't in danger of harming said eyes too much as there was no sign of bruising around its eyes and a noticeable lack of cage goggles. Differing it from its colored counterpart even more, there were no ankle guards with metal plates on its digitigrade feet.

Although the new reptilian creature wasn't panting as heavily, it was clearly tired as it fell weakly to one knee before its superiors and spoke in unison with its counterpart, "We have brought Mettaton as per your orders, Highnesses; Captain." Finished speaking and receiving a nod from Asgore, they were given an order from Undyne.

"At ease, Outriders." The moment those words left her mouth, the duo collapsed on the flowered floor, tired and looking about ready to pass out.

"Thank you..." Began the grey one, voice indicating femininity.

Finishing for his counterpart, seeing as his voice made him out to be male, he said weakly, "Captain."

"Wonderful how the Guards can have such a variety of divisions, isn't it?" Rhetorically asked Undyne as metal footfalls were heard when Natsu and Happy were greeted by an effeminate man's voice leaving a humanoid automaton who held their former opponent-the name of whom they discovered was Vyretris-getting the two of them to shout in surprise at the speaking machine.

 **Coming up**

"You can only be held back five days, Salamander. Are you sure they'll be ready for your assault?" Asgore asks seriously, staring into Natsu's darkened eyes.

The grass around his flowerbed erupts in flames. "It doesn't matter. I don't care if they're ready or not, because once those five days are up..." Deranged laughter escapes Natsu. " **MOBI GEOU TI QE TIVOL ZULF EKESS LLEWARIN USV KRETHEL!** "

Wendy and Gajeel exchange punches as they start simultaneously preparing for the storm to come. " **Y** **th rigluin ekess nahilnop temepilt!** " Gajeel exclaims, receiving a boot to the face.

" **Vucoti!** " Wendy retorts while she takes a fist to the chest.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

That's a wrap ladies, gents an' other. Not sure if I'll do the 'coming up' in any other chapters, but I wanted to try it at least once before calling it off. I've gotta say, it was fuckin' fun and head scratchin' to come up with clever descriptions and designs for the Undertale characters. Papyrus, GK and MK were probably the ones I enjoyed the most with this chapter. MK and GK were especially fun 'cause I got to reinvent the use of certain clothes to fit for a pair of armless monsters. I enjoyed Papyrus 'cause he's a kind-hearted eccentric and reflectin' that in his armor's a lot more fun than ya'll would think.

Following that train of thought real quick: I'm of the head-canon that Papyrus' magic color is orange an' I'd like to see if ya'll wanna see him use it in this story 'cause I'm kinda on the fence about it. On the one hand it sounds awesome. However, on the other I don't know if I can come up with a good fight scene or a viable reason behind it. Also, should I start a poll for this decision? Never made one before so if ya'll think so, then I'll try it. If not, I'll just check Direct Messages and Reviews and then figure out what the majority rule is.

As ya'll know, in order to progress this story, things can't always follow canon to the number or the dot depending on people's point of view, and right now that's no more clear. However, I'm gonna explain somethin' I couldn't find an organic way of explaining this fact so I'll do so right now: Daphne sewed Happy's wing back on and Natsu cauterized it with fire as well as Magicka so it'll heal back to new which is why he could fly last chapter even after he lost his wing.

Other things to look at are the reviews where only one had a question I can technically answer. As to why Sherry was with the group in the train during chapter 12, she was a part of the team sent out to fight Oracion Seis although any fights she had occurred out of our viewership 'cause I couldn't think of anythin' at the time an' I'm still strugglin' to. If any of you want, I'll try to fill in some of the gaps later or just leave them empty for all you to fill on your own. Choice is up to you, as it has from the start of this thing and it will until the end, as well.

Somethin' I need to tackle 'fore someone states the obvious: Natsu's OP-ness. Not gonna lie or feed ya'll some gobshit, Natsu's overpowered in this story. The Meta-Plot, which'll come in later (don't worry if you care about it), will explain the why and how but right now, I just need ya'll to question and think but not demand spoilers. My stories-my _good_ stories-are a multitude of plotlines that aren't able to be addressed all at once 'cause there's a FUCKTON to cover and if I tried to get more than so many subplots involved, the story would not only be too much to digest at once like the 'Paleblood Hunt by Redgrave' (*MIND FUCKING BLOWN BY THE INTENSE, ELDRITCH KNOWLEDGE WITHIN*). Yes, I just made a callout to an awesome content creator on YouTube, don't talk shit 'bout me 'cause of it.

Back on track, there aren't too many things I can really think to talk about off the top of my mentally fried head besides the fact that I'm thinking about lowering my word quota slightly so that I'm not trying to force or cheat my way into getting to 7000 words a chapter. I hope no one's got a problem with this, 'cause I don't know if I can keep killin' myself like this. Last time left me so dried out it took me a month an' a day to come up with _any_ fuckin' plot for this chapter. (As always: thanks for bein' here, please Read  & Review, no flamin' my ass, constructive criticism an' SEE YA-G'NIGHT!)


	28. Legends Can't Rest Until They Finish

Whaz up ladies, gents an' other! I'm _finally_ over my writer's block with this chapter. Took-what?!-about a year-an'-a-half, but I'm finally able to post this bitch! Now, a review from a while back's been bugging me slightly: Natsu's losing faith in Lisanna's continuing of life way too early. Originally, I'd planned to rearrange arcs so they'd go to Edolas early, but I always needed Natsu to have given up on ever finding Lisanna first. That's the biggest reason I've struggled with this neck of the story: I need to thicken the plot, but how?

It's hit me and, if ya'll can forgive my inability to write properly, it'll hit ya'll too right where it should. Also, the 'coming up' from last chapter is irrelevant now that I've gone through so many renditions of this chapter. Onward!

Written document (This is instantly translated, much like thoughts are)

 _Thoughts or emphasis_

'Paraphrasing'

"Normal speech"

" **Abnormal speech** "

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

" **Si geou svent jacion...** " Natsu grit out, his sharp, fang-like teeth grinding against each other as sparks came off his skin and his breath. He'd fallen to his knees, tears welling up in his eyes as he roared out his fury. " **JACI CLAXON DE VE SIA MEMAMOSAL!** " He cried out, slamming his fists down on the glass coffin before him, shattering it into fragments that didn't harm the woman he loved within. Pulling out the limp, lifeless cadaver of a beautiful, white haired goddess he'd called his best friend, rival, lover and wife; he roared again, tears falling from his face freely. Shuddering, he barely choked out, " **Si geou ti ssifisv halkvri wux re rhulita, sia itov...** "

He was underneath King Asgore's throne room where there were several coffins, one of which was made of glass and had held within it the enchanted remains of Lisanna Strauss-Dragneel. Hair cascading over her gentle, content-looking face as she laid there in his trembling arms, wearing the military garb she'd taken on the job to defeat the Beast. Moving several tresses out of her face, he bowed his head against hers and whimpered like a petulant hatchling. Lisanna, laying there peacefully in his arms, was clothed in the same kind of skintight garments her father had worn when he'd attacked a younger Natsu, the attire resembling that of a ninja or an assassin but with the added benefit of being more form-fitting and comfortable as well as flexible. It was a sturdy leather, the color being a lovely dappling of green, brown and white to match the wilderness.

More than a few daggers were held in sheathes along belts she had across her chest and waist, all of them jangling loosely as Natsu's trembling body shook her. " **Nomeno ui** **jimva.** " Natsu snarled, turning to glare at the Underground's King accusingly. " **Kii tiric jaciv vorq lae ghergo lae wer kear jaciv zulf?!** " Eyes closed as if in sleep, Lisanna hung limply in her husband's embrace, said Slayer pointing a claw at the pùca who had hidden his wife from him.

Asgore, sighing heavily as he came down the chiseled, stone steps with the sound of his staff making contact with the steps accompanying him alongside Natsu's sobs. "When my subjects found her, she was bleeding out and didn't have much longer to live. Her last wish had been to be as she was, as her guildmates had seen her. So, as she passed, Sans and Alphys cast a spell over her to protect her from Time's clutches long enough for at least one of her guildmates to say goodbye. But, now the spell will wear off soon as it has withstood longer than it was intended to."

" **Sv** **anoa drong jahus coi xurwka ekess annyo?** " Natsu growled, voice dripping with venom as he began to resign himself to his madness, Lisanna's body beginning to crumble into dust much to Natsu's horror and ever-growing grief. Failing to hold her together, all he had left in his arms and hands was dust. " **SVANOA DRONG?!** " He roared, smashing his opened palm into the remaining glass, shattering what remained.

"...A month." Asgore muttered, but Natsu's keen ears caught it loud and clear, getting the Slayer's eyes to widen in morbid shock. "We'd sent out the job request three years ago, but no one accepted it. It appears that Fate was in your favor, as she wouldn't have lasted much longer, with or without the spell. I am sorry for your loss." Natsu crumpled in on himself, his chest feeling hollow as it beat within his chest. "Is there anything I can do to ease your suffering, my friend?" Placing a compassionate paw on Natsu's shoulder, he got his answer.

Natsu accepted the gesture, too damaged to resist anything anymore. " **Origato ve clax jacioniv vignari,** **vur tir ti visp sia deevdru zahae nomeno...** " He uttered weakly, getting Asgore to nod slowly and help him gather the ashes into a small, sturdy urn. " **S** **ia deevdru rigluinic ekess nurti vucot nomeno shinalta, shar sia memamosal rigluinic ekess qe hethada persvek shashti persvek wer harkt idol. Ornla coi qe kepatmasto sjek si bury jacioniv svern wer onudah?** "

Simply nodding, Asgore rose to stand tall, helping Natsu up as well. "Of course, however, after you've buried her, what will you do?" Natsu, head bowed and eyes hidden by his hair, looked into the eyes of the Underground's King.

" **Si mi ti jaunus. Si tir ti tepoha tivol zulf ekess hawg.** " Natsu said, wiping his tears away as he exited the torch-lit chamber to hide his pain. Coming to find his son sitting there in apprehension, " **C** **oi jahus ti jacioniv, Lotoc.** " Asgore grinned alongside Natsu, his behavior signalling to the other inhuman beings to remain silent for the moment.

Happy sighed, "Oh, that sucks..." His ears flat against his head, he made his way out of the throne room with Natsu carrying the urn. "What's with the pot, Paatsu?"

"Oh," Natsu began, holding the urn as close to himself as possible while still looking casual about it. "It's a sign of peace between the inhabitants of the Underground and the citizens of Fio-England! It's gonna be weird getting used to saying 'England'. Hey, here's an idea: How's about we race back to the guild?! You get a head start since I have to deliver this, giving you a chance to take a fish break near the river. If you get there before me, tell your big sister Lucy that I'm finally going to be her dad." Happy, in child-like naivete, had the face of an ecstatic child in a candy store at the prospect of eating fish, having a big sister and racing his father.

"Okay, Paatsu! Let's do it!" Happy said excitedly, taking off for the exit with Natsu not too far behind.

 **Above ground**

 _Good, Happy's already at the river...Time to bury you, Lisanna._ He thought the last part depressingly, digging a hole for the urn and carving out a stone to engrave the name of the one buried. It didn't take very long to bury her, although it was the hardest thing he had to do in his life, and carving in the words wasn't very hard, either. It was leaving after his son took off that took some time. _I don't wanna leave you, Lisanna, but don't worry...I'll be there soon enough, I just have to do some things first..._ With that he slowly, ever so slowly, made his way away from the Beast's Plateau.

His first stop, several miles away, was the Heartfilia Konzern where he was met with a horrible, familiar sight. Lying on the ground, hands clutching their bodies, were all of the Heartfilia's slaves and servants in varying states of convulsion and screaming pain. "MAKE IT STOP, MASTER!" Shrieked a little boy, making Natsu's eyes fly wide with fury, paternal instincts kicking in.

"JUDE," Natsu roared, stomping into the stone cobbles and making them begin blackening from the heat. "LET THEM REST! THEY'VE DONE NOTHING BUT SERVE YOU FOR THEIR ENTIRE LIVES! LET THEM REST AND FORCE IT ALL DOWN ON ME!" His roaring made all of the servants and slaves cease their screams, the only sounds from them being tired breathing of sleep, as a mountain of pain assaulted Natsu's senses, making him roar out his fury with eyes devoid of reason. " **SI GEOU MAJAK WUX DOUT HIANAG SPICAL SJEK WUX LETOCLO VE, JUDE!** " The pain didn't end, it only increased as a familiar voice rumbled through the manner.

"Why are you here, Salamander?!" Jude asked, his voice coming from all directions around the roaring Natsu. "You've neglected your duty as Lucy's godfather, Salamander: what do you want?!"

Natsu roared, barely able to remember to speak English instead of Draconic, "LAYLA WAS DELIRIOUS WHEN SHE MADE ME LUCY'S GODFATHER! I DIDN'T CHOOSE TO BE YOUR WIFE'S CHOICE NOR DID I ASK TO BECOME LUCY'S GODFATHER: ALL I WANT IS TO BE DEAD ALONGSIDE MY OWN WIFE, _JUST LIKE YOU!_ " The pain wracking his body left, the only feeling in his body being relief as his eyes rolled back into their sockets and his eyelids fluttered shut, while a man in a business suit slowly strode to look down at his visitor.

"What are you talking about?" Jude muttered, his glazed-over eyes seeing all that couldn't be perceived by the mortal he once was. In the center of the unconscious Natsu's center rested a grapefruit-sized orb, the color being a sanguine red with a small honeycomb pattern of corruption forming over a fissure that crept deep into the orb like a virus. "So that's what this is about...Wonderful..." He growled under his breath, his developing beard being stroked irritably by a mangled limb of gears and tendons, picking up and dragging the unconscious Slayer to his office to discuss matters further when he awoke.

He'd have wished he'd never allowed him into his estate...

 **With Lisanna**

Eyes snapping open, she found herself in her bed chambers in the Edolas Fairy Tail guild, getting her to snarl and punch her arm into the wall. _Again I dream of the forest and his company. Again I wake to find my heart broken..._ She whimpered silently, legs buckling as she failed to restrain the onslaught of tears once again. Salty tears cascaded down her cheeks when she felt a pulsing from deep within her core, deeper than her heart and right on the edge of her soul, a pulsing that rang throughout her person as a sickening, foreign experience. Nausea encased her mind as she trembled in place like she'd walked the length of a wobbly, five hundred meter-long ship in the stormiest of oceans, getting her stomach to lurch forward momentarily before her claw found its way over her mouth to dissuade that action. _What's happening?!_ Lisanna thought to herself desperately, tail curling in on itself awkwardly as her wings twitched and spasmed, before she awkwardly found her way to her chamber door and out into the hall.

Opening her mouth to call for help, she found her stomach's contents leaving her throat instead of her voice followed by her legs giving out on her again, leaving her to lay in the pool of pre-digested food she'd made in halls of her guild. "...help..." Lisanna choked out, retching as her stomach heaved once more and her throat became sore. This continued for who knew how long, her stomach failing to empty itself of anything but unending pain. "... _please_..." She begged before she heaved one last time, eyes fluttering closed as she lay there in the pool of disgusting liquid she'd birthed.

It would be hours before Gray found her, but that didn't stop him from bringing her to Elfman immediately. "Elf!" Gray called, said giant-of-a-man's attention being retrieved instantly, carrying his wyverian Guild Master bridal style with a face of urgency on his face. The moment Elfman's eyes befell his scantily clad, vomit covered younger sister his face hardened.

"Get her into the infirmary while I get my tools!" Elfman said assertively, momentarily surprising the heavily clothed survivalist before shaking it off and doing as ordered, the giant of a man grabbing the medical kit he had with him at all times from off of the bar and checking to make sure he had everything. Finding that he did, he entered the infirmary-his domain-and began giving his little sister a diagnosis. Pressing the index and middle fingers of his left hand to her wrist, he found her pulse to be irregular with the help of the watch ticking down the seconds in his right hand. _One hundred for_ _ty beats at rest?! That's not right, even for the most active soldier. Her heart should be beating at least one hundred fifteen with her wings and tail in the equation, but even then it's not this erratic-_

A look of realization crossed his face as he slapped his hands against his head and began washing his hands when-"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Lisanna shrieked hoarsely, getting Gray to start and for Elfman to look to see her standing, leaning against the examination table with a wild look in her eyes. "AAAAAHHHHH!" She shrieked again, spreading her wings weakly, awkwardly knocking over equipment as she stumbled towards Elfman with a snarl.

"Lisan-" Elfman began cautiously.

"RAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" His sister roared, interrupting her big brother with a wobbly kick to the stomach, only to find her scaled leg was caught in the former 'Iron Titan of Kiro', Edolas' human capital city. Shrieking again, Lisanna received a wall to the back thanks to her big brother's swinging her around like his old flail, getting her to gasp in pain as not only was the wind knocked out of her but her wings had been broken. She made to scream again only to start throwing up blood, tears spilling out of her eyes as her body began changing with a magical glow.

"What the?!" Gray asked fearfully, gloved hands shielding his eyes to peer behind the veil that had engulfed his guild master. As the light faded, the two men found themselves face to face with a beast unlike any they'd seen before. Large, felid ears twitched atop her head, turning to and fro rapidly, while a thing, muscular tail swished back and forth with quills flexing before folding back down. Clawed arms were now clawed, scaly wings folded against the outside of each forearm, the bones within the leathery membrane being large and blade-like while her legs were now digitigrade, five-toed paws of some furred beast unknown to the two men. Lids slowly lifting, her heavenly gems proved themselves to be slitted as red colored the area around her eyes before climbing up her head to her ears. "What the?!" Gray repeated, dumbfounded.

"I have to go." Lisanna said sternly, eyes ablaze with blue light as her holy white scales and fur seemed to shine in the light of the infirmary. Elfman came to stand in front of her, blocking the doorway from the not-so-secret-anymore Takeover Mage. "Out of the way, Elfman." She said, staring into his eyes like she were the devil himself, sending tremors down said medic's spine.

"What just happened?" Elfman asked plainly, years of training in the military having taught him not to talk back to a superior, but right now he was the one in charge as he was the only medically trained soldier they had.

Brushing past him hastily, each step being a silent motion unheard in the guildhall she'd set up, Lisanna made her way out of the guild without another word. She made her way through the tunnel she'd been using as an exit to begin reconnaissance missions, she felt the wind fly past her was frigid, something her old Wyvern Takeover had spoiled her with a resistance against. _Najenda's taken her gift back from me, it seems...That can only mean she's on Death's Doorstep and is desperate. Natsu, why do I get the feeling you're behind this?_ Shaking her head and flinching back with a shiver as she came to the mouth of the tunnel, she saw the blizzard surrounding their base, getting her to sink to her knees in realization at what this meant. _We're truly cut off from civilization..._

 **With Natsu**

A large, mechanical claw leaped out of the blue and made to impale his side, getting him to duck and roll underneath it to land a punch into his opponent's groin. "FUCK!" Cried the bombshell before him. Eyes the color of a frozen sky, they glared the First Ring at him, cementing him to the spot as he received a drop kick to the head from an armored shin. "Damn it, Natsu, that _hurt!_ "

"Bite me, _mom!_ " Natsu jabbed, getting the buxom white haired general to kick her right foot into the ground, causing spikes of ice to erupt out. "SHIT!" A rather blunt spike sent him flying into a nearby tree, knocking the wind out of him as he fell to his knees, the castle guards surrounding the courtyard they called a battleground, with their spears pointed towards him. Strolling towards him, pulling her gloves tighter over her hands all the while, the ground frosted over as a snarl escaped her.

"You know, Natsu," Najenda muttered, glaring Hell's Daggers down on her son-in-law. "Just because you married into my family-just because we're betrothed thanks to the Plan- _doesn't give you the right to remind me I'm over four hundred fucking years old!_ " Wearing a black turtleneck shirt underneath an unzipped winter-camouflage jerkin, her four-pack could be seen through the tight shirt, while her F-cup chest was protected with a leather breastplate that kept her sternum and breasts safe from either certain amounts of damage and groping. Long, leather faulds and tassets hung from her shapely hips, kept there by a set of belts attached to her breast plate where daggers hung in their holsters before she pulled them out to throw them at her son-in-law.

Finding a dagger through the upper rim of his ear, he snarled in pain at the woman whose subordinates had given him a hard time not too long ago. "That reminds me," He began slowly, holding his now bleeding ear with a grimace and a growl. "I've a plan of my own that _might_ piss you off..." Receiving a single, risen brow and a flipping of her steely braided hair, he continued. "I need you to kill me and fulfill my will or I'll kill everyone in this castle..."

Like that, his fate was sealed. " **Vebren di wer Onkmet Darastrix!** " A blast of snow and ice escaped Najenda's mouth, the attack flying out between her sharp teeth like a stream of frigid pain for the man before her, the only sound being made by either of them was the emptying of their lungs as they screamed out pain of the emotional and physical sort. _This is what it means to be a general, Jen..._ She thought, a single tear rolling down her cheek as the she subconsciously recognized how much she cared for the killer and soldiers she'd molded out of the most prominent youths in her life. _Goodbye..._ With one final thought, she finished the attack her former betrothed needed. _Son._

While she endured the knowledge that she wasn't a cold-hearted killer, Natsu roared his agony and the freedom he'd be receiving from it. As the ice and snow tore through his flesh, boring into him like a river of death, the pain invigorating him so much that it was like life was overflowing his body. Roars were all that left him now, this paradox he was experiencing making him want all existence to join him in death. Suddenly, the stream sped up, getting him to say his last words. " **SI MI CONFNIR SIA ITOV!** " Natsu roared one, last time, his killer faltering as she roared in pain as her mechanical claw jammed up and twisted over the stump she had of a right arm.

As life left Natsu's body, a smile gracing his lips one, final time, Lacrima leaped out of his chest and into his chosen. What neither knew was that an immense crash would begin soon.

 **Back in Edolas**

The sensation of freezing, the thing she associated with Najenda's presence, was the first thing she felt that told her something was ripped from her. Racing through her body was the feeling of her blood turning to ice, making her gasp and pant. "Natsu...What've you done?! Please...tell me..."

"Tell you what?" Came a voice from the Lacrima that hung against the wall, getting her to against the freezing ice that surrounded her and bring it close to her shivering, misty-breathing lips. "Lisanna?"

"Mystogan..." Lisanna quivered, her voice barely above a whimper. "Something's-Something's h-happened..." Static answered her momentarily, that moment being enough for her to let tears cascade down her cheeks onto the icy surface around her to freeze into a tiny gem of ice.

The static ceased, returning the now named Mystogan's voice to her attention. "Lisanna," Mystogan began concernedly. "What's happened?!"

"I c-c-c-can't feel my husband anymore...W-W-We hav-e-e-e-e-e to hur-r-r-r-r-y-y-y-y-y-y!" She whispered into the orb of crystal, getting a grunt of affirmation to answer her.

"I'll get Coco and Gajeel around. So long as you stick to-"

"I'll bring Fairy Tail to you, Mystogan!" She interrupted weakly, struggling to stand as she leaned against the wall. "Just get them ready and I'll give you your Fairies so I can go back to Earth! I promise..."

"Good. Mystogan out!" Silence answered her as she let the Lacrima hang from the cord attached to it.

 _I'm sorry, everyone, but I can't wait any longer...I have to get back home!_ A cough from behind her got her to turn and find-"Lucy?! H-H-How-"

"I heard all of it, sadly..." Lucy said defeatedly, coming to sit at Lisanna's side where she shuddered before laughing mirthlessly. "It's funny: ever since I've met you, or the _real_ you, I've thought of you as the mother I never had and that feeling only became stronger once met this you I'm talking to...But it turns out your nothing more than a damned _traitor!_ "

Lisanna growled at the girl next to her, daring her to attack her like this. "If you went through what I have to end up here _against my will_ , you'd be the exact same as me!" Curling into herself, shivering pitifully like a helpless cub. "If you're going to kill me, I hope you can carry the hatred of a monster on your shoulders...hehehe-HAHAHA!-because my husband's fury is hotter than the flames in Hell!" As she said that, she rose to stand in front of her subordinate, standing tall and proud even as she shivered. Opening her arms outward, her chest open to be struck, she silently dared her. 'Do it and you will know damnation', her eyes promised, getting Lucy Ashley to falter in glaring at her commanding officer.

"How are you going to get back home, if nobody will follow you after hearing everything you've said?" Lucy asked, a smug tone crawling into her voice, pulling out a wire with a speaker at the end that lead into the guildhall. "After all, soldiers only follow a commander fighting for their cau-!" Not another word was uttered by the cow-titted wench whose heart now rested in the palm of Lisanna's paw.

"Not if they're too afraid to resist their orders, _girl!_ " Lisanna snarled, stroking the still-beating organ in her grasp, her other paw stroking Lucy's bust tauntingly. "Your body might be that of a matured woman, but you're still only a bratty girl failing to control her betters...Now," Saying these things, she leaned into Lucy's face with a sickening sneer. "What will you do now that you know the truth? Will you give in and feel nothing as you pass, or are my paws going to be caked in the blood of a bunch of renegades?!"

All that answered her was a teary-eyed whimper of fear and hurt from the blonde girl before her, heart pulsating like a skull-splitting migraine given shape in her paw, sneering like the monster her parents had conditioned her to be from the day she was born. "Leave her alone, Lisanna!" Mira's voice echoed from the other end of the tunnel, the use of her name getting said Takeover mage to look to the Edolas version of her sister curiously, face void of any emotion. "We'll do anything you say, just don't hurt her!"

"And if I don't meet your request," Lisanna began, turning her body fully to let Mira and Lucy understand the gravity of the situation, Lucy's only feeling being pain and Mira's soul shriek in fear. "What will you do? Revolt? I have magic, an endless supply, and I can survive any situation you dish out at me. The only thing you have that I don't is patience, but that's because I've more pressing matters than a bunch of renegades stopping me from returning to my six year old son and my loving husband!" The look on her face slowly morphed from a blank stare into a furious glare. "Now then..." Flexing her paw ever so slightly, Lucy convulsed and cried out in pain, making the cavern quake in fragility. "What will you do, Edolas Tail?!"

Silence answered her after Lucy's voice died down and the ringing ceased, all the while Mirajane stared in horror at this impostor of her sister. "..." Suddenly, Lisanna grabbed a stalagmite before throwing it straight out of the window into the blizzard, causing Natsu to scream in terror as he plummeted to the ground on his creation with the voice of Levy following him, Mira's eyes widening in horror with tears streaking down her cheeks! "WHY DID YOU SAVE US IF YOU'RE JUST GOING TO SELL US OUT?!" The cavern shook, making Lisanna snarl, ears folded back, as she glared Hell at the Edolas version of her sister.

Slamming her foot into the floor fiercely, she shouted, "YOU THINK I CHOSE TO BE IN EDOLAS?! I WAS _RIPPED_ AWAY FROM MY FAMILY! MY BABY, MY HUSBAND, MY SISTER, MY BROTHER AND MY FRIENDS! You're all replicas of them in my eyes, and I saved you because I took pity on you...but as soon as I discovered how I can go back home, I've been fighting with myself on whether or not I'll leave you high and dry. Now, however," Her sneer returned, eyes a blaze of fiery blood lust her mother and father had instilled in her. "I don't have to fight with myself about it anymore! Because, either way, I don't have to worry about any of you anymore!"

"WE TOOK CARE OF YO-!"

"And I'm incredibly thankful, which is why I'm giving you the choice of how you'll go: peacefully, or..." She interrupted, looking out into the blizzard and, more specifically, towards the abyss beneath the flying islands where Natsu and Levy had fallen. "'Not'. You've until Lucy bleeds out to make your decision, and I want you to weigh your answers as much as Levy would weigh Lucy's tits if they had sex!" That last part, although a dangerous threat, made Lucy blush in surprise at what she had just heard. _Good thing Natsu and Levy made that Crybaby drone, otherwise I'd have their blood on my paws!_ "So...I'd suggest you go talk to your guild, and contemplate your decision..."

Mira merely nodded, rushing back into the guildhall, Lisanna's barely-restrained sigh of relief leaving her loudly as she loosened her grip on Lucy's heart. "Commander..." Lucy gasped, heart pulsing weakly. "I need that!"

"Right!" Lisanna chuckled, returning Lucy's heart to its rightful place in her buxom chest. "Sorry, Luce...I didn't mean to get that intense..." She faltered, falling before Lucy caught her and fell beside her. "I haven't gotten _these_ paws dirty in years..."

"It's okay, mo- _Ma'am!_ " Lucy caught herself, a good natured chuckle leaving Lisanna's lips when Levy and Natsu clambered into the cavern, shivering like mad. "...ma'am..." Levy, shivering with her teeth chittering like a beaver's jaws, crawled on top of Lucy's body to nuzzle her chest and apply the gift Lisanna had given her.

"Sana!" Levy said hysterically, the wound around Lucy's heart healing immediately as Levy's heart visibly glowed from within her chest. A weak, tired snigger left Lucy's lips before said pieces of plush flesh were claimed by the bluenette engineer, surprising the blonde badass as she spoke between heated, love-filled kisses. "If you... _ever_ do that to me again...I'll give you the worst tongue lashing of your life, you-MMM!" Suddenly, Levy's lips were stolen from her by the buxom blonde beneath her, silencing her of anymore smack talk.

Natsu cackled at the stunned look on Lucy's face before finding two fists in his groin, shutting him up for the rest of their plot. "Took you two forever to realize you had the hots for each other and it's gonna take forever more for you two to realize anything else..." Lisanna muttered, looking out into the blizzard thoughtfully as she shivered. _Whatever's happened to you Natsu, I'm coming home..._

 **Back on Earth, Fairy Tail guildhall**

Happy was in Battle Mode, his posture like that of an enormous house cat on his side with his belly exposed, leaving him open for Lucy to lay against his warm underside comfortably and drift off into sleep. Suddenly, a light struck her in the center of her chest, making her gasp and screech, flames spewing from her gaping mouth. "WHAT THE FUCK?!" Was the guild's unanimous cry as they fought to save their guildhall.

Scales climbed up from Lucy's fingers, from the tips of which grew her nails into sharpened claws, reaching her elbow in a manner like natural platemail with each scale covering the succeeding scale's place of origin in her skin. Pink highlights surfaced in her blonde locks, strands of hair flailing about in the air as if her head were alight with the flames which she breathed. Brown eyes, once round and gentle, now slitted and volatile orbs of painful secrets. " **MAKE IT STOP DAD!** " She cried out, clutching for something in between her breasts before pulling out Azreal's Gate Key, the fountain of liquid-gaseous burns slowing to a halt as a result. " **Wha-What's going on?** " Lucy asked, eyes lolling closed while pink-white scales formed down her cheeks and away from her eyes like tear streaks, her mouth open to allow sight of her canines lengthening as the rest of her teeth sharpened.

A chill swept through the guild out of nowhere, snow falling off Happy's wings like rain with each flap, the Exceed's onyx eyes becoming speckled with sapphire blue. He glared to the rest of the guild suspiciously, a large, angelic wing coming to rest over his big sister. "What just happened?" He growled, his voice a rough sound like stone against wood, eyes scanning those in the guild before turning to look out the open door to glare at the passersby. "WHY DID MY SISTER START SCREAMING FIRE?!" Happy roared, a river of ice flying out of his jaws as he did, surprising him before he snapped his mouth shut with wide eyes. To all nearby, it was obvious that the gears were turning in his head, and a frightened chill ran down their spines as he muttered two words. "Oh no..."

"'Oh no' is right, Happy." Came a voice Happy had heard only once before but had never forgotten, his eyes narrowing as he snarled warningly at the buxom woman that was his grandmother. "There's no need for that, grandson," Najenda said flatly, strolling down the steps from the doorway to the middle of the guildhall with a blanketed body hanging in her arms bridal style. "I won't overstay my welcome. I'm just here to deliver something that you didn't get with your mother, is all..." Placing the body at his paws, the Exceed mentally screaming for this to be a nightmare, Najenda removed the blanket to reveal her son-in-law with a remorseful gaze down at him.

Nothing happened for a few minutes, Najenda not moving a muscle out of respect for her grandson, Happy too stunned to utter a word or twitch. Even though everyone in their guild was in there, it felt like the only ones anywhere in the world were right there, in the middle of the building. _This can't be happening...This can't be happening!_ He thought frantically, unable to remove his body from the floorboards beneath him, tears welling up in his big eyes. _No...NONONONONONONONONONOO! I CAN'T LOSE YOU TWO, PAATSU!_ "...please tell me this is some sort of sick joke, grandmother..." He whimpered, voice deep due to his size but the sound leaving his throat being like that of the cub he was. "...please tell me that my father, my Paatsu's not laying dead at my paws... _please_!" His pleading merely got him the bowing of the head from his aunt and uncle's former superior, getting him to stare in shock at the reality of this moment.

Eyes welling up with tears and croaks of sorrow leaving his throat, he hesitantly, weakly lifted his paws up and brought his father's body closer to his chest, his enlarged head rubbing against Natsu's with his eyes screwed shut in grief. All was silent except for his deep, resonating shudders of youthful weakness as he choked on his own voice, volume rising until he was sobbing. Voice cracking and mana depleting, his large body shattered into shards of glowing air to leave him as he was, a sobbing cub holding himself close to the body of his passed father.

"WHO DID THIS?!" Happy demanded, tears streaming down his cheeks, eyes ablaze with hate, glaring at his grandmother. "WHO TOOK MY PAATSU FROM ME?!" Najenda, head shaking from side to side cluelessly, brought an envelope of paper out from her breast pocket and handed it to the blue cat before her whose eyes leaked liquid pain as his nose dripped mucus.

"Your father had this clutched in his hand when I found out about his passing," Najenda lied, repeating the lines Natsu's other letter had told her to say, sharpened teeth grit and cheeks soaked. "It's addressed to you and, I'm going to assume, only for you to see..." Happy took the envelope from her hands and wiped his face, gasping as he tried and failed to regain his composure, the feeling of eyes on him making him turn to see Makarov behind him.

With a snarl full of pain, he demanded, "WHAT DO YOU WANT, OLD MAN?! _ARE YOU GOING TO SAY IT'S FOR THE BEST THAT HE SLEEPS SO HE DOESN'T CAUSE MORE TROUBLE?!_ " The look on Makarov's face was one of shock and hurt, less so than Happy's, but one nonetheless.

"I would never-"

" _LIAR!_ " Happy shrieked, punching the floor, spikes of ice erupted through the floorboards towards his guild master. "I'VE HEARD YOU TALK BEHIND PAATSU'S BACK! HOW YOU WISH HE'D STOP DEAD!" Happy's accusation made Makarov start, realization crossing his face.

Sighing, Makarov came to sit across from Happy sadly. "I never meant it like this, Happy...I merely wished he'd stop dead in his tracks before destroying everything around him..."

"That's what made him _him_ , asshole!" Najenda snarled out, eyes overshadowed by her bangs as she glared at the dwarf of a man that called himself Fairy Tail's guild master. "If you can't appreciate someone for who they are, then you don't deserve to know them at all!"

"I've been his guild master for years-"

"AND I'VE KNOWN HIM SINCE HE WAS A CHILD, DOESN'T MEAN JACK SHIT NOW!" Najenda quipped loudly, grabbing Makarov by the throat with her mechanical claw. "That man has gone through _Hell_ from day one-DON'T ACT LIKE YOU'VE ANY SAY IN WHAT GOES ON IN HIS LIFE OR DEATH!"

Without warning, Happy screamed, "STOP FIGHTING!" His scream awoke Lucy, getting her to gasp before Happy stuffed his paw into her mouth. "I'm going home and I'm taking my family with me, whether or not you're alright with it!" Placing the letter in Natsu's pocket, Happy transformed into Battle Mode allowing him to place Lucy on his back and hold Natsu in his forelimbs before flying back to the Dragneel abode with his remaining family. _No magic...We'll give you a proper burial, Paatsu..._

 **A few hours later, in the Dragneel household**

Dear Happy,

I'm sorry that I couldn't find your mother and I'm even more sorry that the world's taken me from you. I've failed as a father, a husband and a friend, and for that I can't say I'm sorry enough. As you're reading this, the poison from a Witcher's lance is coursing through my body, so I don't have much longer. Jude offered to help me write this in somewhat coherent English, but there are some things I can't have him understand. That's why I've written this in Draconic.

Even as I feel the life drain from my body, I know that you and Lisanna are my greatest adventure and I'm sorry that I have to leave you, but I don't think I'd be able to hold out very long without your mother to help keep us on our feet. That's not why this is being written, though, so I'll keep on track. I want you to stay at your big sister, Lucy's, side from now on. I implanted a Dragon Lacrima into her body a while after the Galuna Island mission, and she'll need your guidance. You're not a Dragon Slayer, but I trained you like one and you're the best mage in Fairy Tail to teach her.

Never have I been able to say goodbye, and I'm so _so sorry_ that I have to tell you that I won't be coming back. I wanted to find her with you; I wanted to see you in her arms again; I wanted to see you grow up and have your own family. There were so many things I wanted to do with you at my side and now, now I won't be able to. Please don't ever stop searching for your mom, but don't let it consume you. You've everything you need right at Fairy Tail, where you grew up and where I hope to hear great things about when I see you on the other side years from now.

You don't have to worry about our home: I've hidden my hoard, your inheritance, under the fire pit and below the fish pond. However, I've left some things in the envelope that I think you'll know who they belong to. I'm running out of time, son, so I'll have to cut this short but...never forget that I love you and your sister, even if I acted like a prick. I'm starting to drift off, and I hope to hear the both of you tell me, 'I lived Dad', when I see you on the other side! You're the Son of Natsu Dragneel, Fire Dragon Prince, and you're my legacy as a warrior, a mage of Fairy Tail, a Slayer and most importantly a father. I know I haven't been a very good father or friend, but I hope that what I leave you with will help you make it through without me...

With more love than can be said in words,

Natsu Dragneel, your dad

As Happy read the final words of his father, his eyes welled up with tears and his nose leaked as he wept in Lucy's now warmer arms. Shudders and gasps were paired with coughs, cries and hiccups as he called out to Natsu's spirit as if his voice would reverse what had been done. "PAATSU! PAATSU, COME BACK! _DAD!_ " He shrieked, shaking his head back and forth, his paws meeting his head in violent blows as if to wake himself from this horrid nightmare. "DON'T LEAVE ME! _PLEASE DAD!_ " Voice falling on only his adopted sister's ears, he cried into her bust as she hugged him close and wept her own grief.

 _Damn it, Natsu!_ Lucy thought, tears streaming down her newly scaled cheeks. _Why couldn't you stay out of trouble?! Why didn't you come with Happy and do what my mom told you to?!_ Her thoughts left her mind unanswered, sharpened teeth grit against each other as a growl formed in her throat, her warmth countering Happy's frigid temperature to create steam within the shack Happy had called home for his whole life. " **WHY DAMN IT?! _WHY?!_** " As she shrieked her pain she let loose a flow of fire, Happy's eyes widening as a result at the risk her breath posed to his home before he exhaled a river of ice and snow, dowsing the flames and leaving burn marks on the shack's walls.

Long into the night they staid like that, holding one another in the hammock Natsu had slept in before his passing, as they slowly ebbed one another into sleep. Thousands of miles above the Earth's surface floated a colossal, cube-shaped organism where a buxom woman with two large, golden horns extending outward from her head in an upward fashion, looked up from her novel with a curious face. _What's happened now?_ She queried, dropping to the floor from her floating sofa with grace found only in an expert acrobat. _Best go check in with our central Lamy to make sure everything's alright with the regeneration chambers in Hell's Core._

Halls of chiseled stone were laced with pulsating organs in the spaces between each brick, a sight she'd become used to over the centuries on the micro-planetary form they knew as Cube. Making her way through the halls, she noticed a strange warmth unlike the heat Hell's Core normally radiated; it was soft and gentle yet deadly and feral, like a rabid beast whilst protecting its young. "Lamy," She called, a rabbit-eared girl appearing at her side immediately. "What's going on in Hell's Core? It's never this warm."

Lamy tittered jubilantly, hopping in place, exuberant as usual if the horned woman's patient stare was any indication. "Someone new's appeared in a regeneration chamber, Lady Seilah! Someone... _handsome!_ " Saying the last part tittedly, Lamy fell to her knees and held her blushing cheeks, a lecherous line of drool dripping from her mouth. "I want him, Lady Seilah! _Can I have him?!_ "

Shaking her head, the now named Seilah looked at the lagamorphic girl before her with a single eyebrow risen. "That depends on who it is, Lamy. Normally, I'd say that you can keep him with the rest of your collection of accidental regenerates or abductees, but I've the sneaking suspicion that it's an old friend."

"Ooh!" Lamy said daringly, dangerously, jumping to sit on Seilah's shoulders with her normally closed eyes opening curiously, interrogatively. "What makes you so sure you know him, Lady Seilah?"

"Much like the greatest detectives in our library's mystery novels have said, 'Call it a hunch.'" Seilah said, eyes narrowed at the girl on her shoulders. _I really hope it's you, Pantheon..._

As she thought that, Natsu's slitted eyes opened violently, allowing him to see he was within a large cylinder filled with liquid. _Damn it, I forgot I'm immortal!_

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

That's a wrap ladies, gents and other! It took me roughly a year and a half to finish this chapter, but that's because I kept running into a wall of how to keep Natsu's faith in Lisanna being alive. But it recently hit me: in canon, Natsu's a demon and the demons of the Tartaros guild are immortal, so why wouldn't that apply to Natsu if he's made into a demon before the rest of them. Now, I liked the Undertale bit I had in the last chapter, so I kept it as a relevant plot point for both continuity and relevance, and I think it's worked pretty well.

Natsu loves Happy, but he literally needs Lisanna to keep going, so his immortality's biting him in the ass here. Before I get any questions as to where I've been because I know someone's gonna ask: I've been working on another story that I've had some real fun writing. Recently, while I've been writing this chapter (Which I purposefully allowed to be shitty for a few blows to my grown-too-big ego), I reread the earlier chapters of this story and I've been torn between rewriting them as better, more coherent and more close to how I like to picture the endgame looking chapters.

However, I've decided to leave them as the shit they are because it's cringy and I need to remember that I wrote that cringy shit, so my ego doesn't impair my writing like it did for this chapter the first five months. So, there are obviously gonna be a few questions, but I'm not gonna answer them just yet. Ya'll are gonna wait until next chapter for that. Not much else to say, so (As always: thanks for being here, R&R, please review, no flaming my ass, constructive criticism and SEE YA-G'NIGHT!)


	29. Heartbreak and Battleships

Whaz up ladies, gents and other! I'm still alive, I'm still gonna write and I'm still not good at intros. I don't own Fairy Tail or any other media I bring into my stories.

Written documentation

 _Thoughts or emphasis_

'Paraphrasing'

"Normal speech"

" **Abnormal speech** "

" **Unknown speech** "

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

The day was beautiful, perfect in every way possible. Wind dancing through the foliage surrounding Magnolia, the sun peaking through clouds that peppered the baby blue sky, and the world kept spinning. It was perfect. It was too perfect. It was a mockery of their loss. Fairy Tail had gathered in Magnolia's cemetery, each one dressed in black despite the beautiful day, with a stone coffin being carried by the guild members with the most physical strength. Inside the coffin was Natsu's body, silent and at peace, as if in a deep sleep no one could bring themselves to wake him from.

Placing the coffin down above the hole they'd prepared, Erza, Elfman, Gajeel and Happy came to stand at each side of the hole, patiently awaiting the ceremony to begin. They thankfully didn't have long to wait as Makarov slowly made his way to stand in front of the hole, a statue portraying a triumphant, roaring Natsu overshadowing him. "We've gathered here today," He began, a stray tear sneaking down his wrinkled cheek before finding a tissue catching it. "To bid our dear friend, Natsu, one last goodnight. Throughout his career as a mage, Natsu's striven to better himself and the lives of others, never meaning true harm to any one of us. His greatest, crowning achievement has been the raising and recruiting of our guild's mages, each of them baring a blessing he's bestowed upon them."

His hand gestured to the newer members of Fairy Tail and the young ones they kept in their company, Makarov continued. "Our guild was founded in the desire to answer a question: 'Do fairies have tails?'. Now, with all honesty, I can only assume they do not as we would've found every fairy and taken its tail to bring him back. But that is neither here, nor there, as Natsu embodied the drive to grow and discover as our first guild master, Mavis Vermilion, had always hoped. He kept pushing to become more than he was, always wanting to see more and learn what he was able. That the world has taken him from us...is a damned shame in every sense of it. We pay tribute to you, Natsu Dragneel, with this statue as your tombstone beside your wife's own, to let you rest beside her in spirit as you had wished to in life."

A heavy sigh left the old guild master as his short stature began reverting back to the titan of a man he was, a head taller than a single story house when on his feet and his wrinkles more prominent than ever. "There aren't enough words to say that would do everything Natsu did justice. He saved lives, he rehabilitated dark mages, he survived with his soul in pieces and he made it farther than any would have given him credit for. Natsu, as your guild master, I hereby promote you to S-Class like you would have wished to become. I'd intended to promote you after our next S-Class Trials, but now...it appears that we'll never see how strong you truly are. We'll never hear your cocky laugh, never grin when you prank someone, and never watch you rise to the top like you'd said you would...Today is a sad day for Fairy Tail as we pay Natsu Dragneel; adoptive father of Happy Dragneel and Lucy Heartfilia, husband of Lisanna Dragneel and First Generation Dragon Slayer...one, final goodbye on the hardest mission we'll ever take part in: living without him..."

Still in Battle Mode, Happy failed to stop the tears from streaming down his face and onto the grass beneath his paws, Lucy at his side with her arms barely reaching around him in a comforting hug. _I've lost two parents in three years. One to my uncle, and one to the government...At least I've my friends, my guild and my...sister._ "Lucy," Happy began, the sounds of Lucy's sniffles never ceasing even as Makarov continued with his eulogy. "Lucy, don't cry. Save your tears for when you've something amazing and wonderful to cry about. Don't shed them on the ending of someone's legend, it will only make them sad in the afterlife."

"How can you say that, Happy?" Lucy shuddered, face never leaving his shoulder as she felt his large, angelic wing wrap around her frame. "He's your dad, the man who raised you, who taught you how to talk, who...who was there for you when you needed him most..." Her words made Happy's ears fold back in heartache, the weight on his chest like that of a behemoth's foot being pressed down in the attempt to flatten him. "How can you tell me not to cry when you w-" Looking up at his face with drops of liquid sorrow rolling off her face like waterfalls, she saw the grief stricken look on his large, tiger-like face as glistening tears fell to the ground from the end of his muzzle. _He's crying too. He's all too aware of the gravity of this situation and just doesn't want me to cry, just wanting to see something other than water leaving someone's face..._

Silently gulping down the lump in his throat, Happy said, "I know that you're sad, hurt and you want somebody to look to for blame just so the pain will go away, but that won't lead to anything but more grief. From here on out, we're not just teammates, we're siblings and we have to watch out for one another. You didn't have anybody to turn to after your mother passed, and I'll be here for you now that I'm by your side, but... _please_ , for dad's sake and my own, turn off the waterworks..."

Eyes turned skyward, Lucy swallowed the choking in her voice, nodding. "Sure thing, little brother..." She said, wiping away the tears making their way down her face.

"Good to hear...Big sister, because even Juvia would agree with me." Happy said, forlorn eyes resting on his father's calm, peaceful face with more tears flooding his eyes as he choked on his own voice.

"What would I agree with?" Juvia asked, a black veil over her face to hide herself from the sorrow of the others and herself, approaching the new siblings with the wind sweeping through the side-slitted skirt around her waist as it darkened like the waters of an ocean being filled with foul pollutants. Happy's nose twitched, the smell of the ocean being familiar enough as well as that of algae and animal fur, the thought of what her clothes actually were crossing his mind for the briefest moment.

Looking into the clouds, eyes closed as if to make peace with the heavens above, he answered solemnly, "It's a terrible day for sunlight..." An expression of understanding crossed Juvia's face as he continued with a slight hiccup, clouds beginning to gather as he did so. "After all, Paatsu loved the rain as much as he did Lismama..." His childish nicknames for his parents sounded foreign in his own mouth, the depth of his voice's pitch making it feel as though he weren't his father's son, and drove home the fact that he was but a child-a little boy-who'd lost his only other parent.

Rain began coming down, the plops of sky tears hitting the ground being a much needed distraction from the loss everyone had recently experienced, Happy and Lucy's eyes still closed while their lips-once frowns-began to curl into sad, nostalgic smiles as images flashed before their eyes at the greatest memory they shared with the pyrovorous Natsu 'Salamander' Dragneel.

 **Flashback, Everlue Mansion**

"LET GO, YOU CRETIN!" Lucy proclaimed, arms held behind her back by a plump, stout man with an odd sense of aesthetic. Dressed in formal garbs like that of a noble, he wore a nondescript black suit with a large, golden button over his abdomen and a beautiful, red rose with its thorny stem woven into his breast pocket. But it was not his dress that was odd, oh no, it was his visage. Large, flat nose with hairs forming a curled, handlebar mustache filled with nasal fluids and foreign contaminants woven into each thread. His eyes, those damned eyes! So wide and lifeless, so devoid of feeling even when enraged, were a foul shade of blue not worth describing.

His complexion was an unhealthy yellow, like his liver was breaking down, and his feces-blonde hair was combed into a bushel atop his round head in the shape of a wilted tulip bud. "'Cretin'?! _ME?!_ You impudent little-" Not giving him the chance to finish, Lucy ran backwards-up the man's body-and flipping to land on her feet, allowing her to initiate the second portion of her escape. Channeling all of the magic into the balls of her feet and her leg muscles, she grabbed the man's skinny wrists with a grip matching in strength to Natsu's jaws and a devilish glint in her eye as she smirked.

Still smirking, Lucy readied her body for what was to come and said proudly, "Have a nice landing, Everlue!" What happened next was almost comical, the once pampered Lucy Heartfilia and her weak frame, managed to twist her entire body in contrast to her feet holding their place and ended up crushing Everlue's face against the brick masonry of the sewer they were in with a snap resounding against the walls. Yanking her arms out of his grasp, Lucy bounced in place, a proud fire burning in her eyes as she picked the golden book from off of her belt and waved it around in the still face-planted man's direction. "That's what happens when you screw with Fairy Tail, Duke Everlue, and don't you ever forget it!"

No response came from the fat man's limp form. "Lucy," Happy's voice echoed from down the passage, getting said girl to look and find the blue cat loping towards her on all fours. "You beat Everlue." He said astonishingly, surprise in his face as he padded over to the fat man and swatted at him experimentally before a strange emptiness permeated his eyes.

"Yeah," Lucy began, returning the book to her hip as she came to crouch next to the blue feline. "But...he's-well-this!" Hand gesturing to his prone form against the wall in slight confusion. Moving her head in a futile attempt to see his face without removing him from the wall, she naively asked, "Did I knock him out?" The answer she'd get would haunt her for the rest of her life.

"Lucy," Happy began, licking his chapped lips anxiously as he slowly, carefully pulled the man out of the wall. "He's...He's not breathing." The moment she heard that, Happy had pulled the fat man out of the wall to reveal the crown of his skull hand been crushed against his body, getting both Lucy and Happy to coil back in disgust. Silence fell between the pair, Happy's eyes falling to his front paws in horror at having touched the blood of a human being, and Lucy's face was one of utter shock.

Falling to rest her shaky knees, breathing shallow not to mention indiscernible from a breeze and stomach about ready to empty itself on the floor, Lucy's wide eyes gleaned everything that her actions had created. Her breathing quickened until, finally, the contents of her gut made their way up her esophagus and out onto the floor in front of her. Once her stomach was empty, she kept heaving, as if all the vomitus in the world would undo what she'd done. "H-How...W-What?! I-I-I-I...I didn't...I mean, I...I-I-I..." She stuttered between heaves, her beautiful shape falling on its side weakly, tears beginning to crawl out of her mahogany orbs.

"..." Happy said nothing. What was there for him to tell her: That 'everything was okay', that 'at least she was alive', that 'there is a reason for everything that happens'?! Even though he was young, Happy knew that the first kill was always- _always_ -the hardest. Staring at the blonde Celestial Mage before him, all he could do was slowly pad over to the distraught girl and bring her into a one-side hug, allowing her to pick him up and hold him close to herself as she openly wept and sobbed. Shudders wracked her body, her only wish being to be anywhere except where she was at that moment, and yet, still, her eyes always found their way to gaze upon the mashed face of Duke Chandrein Everlue. (Pronunciation: Sh-Anne-Drain)

His eyes were gone, the liquid dripping from his sockets being an eerie white as it mixed with a disgustingly bright shade of blue, which was a small relief as his mouth was caught in what looked like a screaming expression with rubble filling his jaws-keeping his face as one of terror and fear. This didn't help Lucy one bit, getting her to look down at her hands and begin dry heaving again; every cracked tooth, every dribble of blood, every flow of mucus, and every tear of the fatty flesh that had defined the duke embedding itself into her memory for the rest of her life would be shaped by that face.

Shards of stone had pierced his head, a few of them having ended up through his eyebrows, while others had pierced his pallet, nose, teeth, temples and broken the sockets from which his jelly-fied eyes dripped out of. Lucy's whimpers, shudders and heaves increased in volume until they were shrieks, cries and bellows of disgust and loathing. Loathing for herself or her victim, is impossible to say the difference.

Natsu stood behind her, unsure of what to do. He'd written novellas, rhymes and sang wonders to his son whom he'd have killed a million dukes and kings to save...but this girl. She was a level of danger in and unto herself, for the damaged Salamander had no idea how to raise her as Layla had wished. _I can sing, I can rhyme, I can fight but the only thing I can't do-the only thing I want to do-is be a father..._ He thought confusedly. Happy, sensing his father's inner turmoil, looked into Natsu's eyes pleadingly, removing any hesitation from the Slayer's mind. With a slow and steady heart, he lowered himself to his knees and brought both Lucy and Happy into a deep, passionate hug.

To say that Lucy was confused was an understatement. Natsu had been nothing but an ass to her the entire time she was just starting in Fairy Tail, the fact she stuck by his side during this period was to get used to the madness and pain that would follow, but now she didn't know how to feel. Originally, once she felt comfortable around the other guild members, she had planned to act as a mage without any need for teammates-to charge full steam ahead and forge her own path to who she aimed to be-and Natsu was supposed to be a stepping stone to that.

But now, instead of acting like an ass and making her hate him like she'd expected, he was hugging her comfortingly and casually. "There's nothing I can say to make what you've done any easier, Daughter of Layla," Natsu began, his words making the girl in his arms feel a knot of self-loathing twist itself tighter in her virgin gut. "All I can do is tell you that Happy and I are here for you. At any time you need us, you'd only need to call for us and we'll come. I know I haven't been the nicest of people to you since I met you, and that's putting it nicely, but I'm only this way because I've done what you just did so many times I'm almost numb to it. To the slaughter, to the loss of life."

Accentuating his statement, he exposed his palm to her viewing, holding her smaller, softer hand in his own larger, harder one. The difference was immediately clear: he had calloused hands, nails that were long and sharpened to a claw point, and there was a cold heat to it she could only describe as wounded. Her hand, smaller and undamaged by the world's worth, was like that of a porcelain doll: small, frail, well-kept and delicate yet beautiful. "I've done so many things to so many people just to survive, seeing your gentle naivete reminded me of what I was like before I'd grown, and the idea of seeing another person have to grow up too fast in a world they're not made for...All I wanted to do when you joined Fairy Tail was send you back to your home and tell your family to keep you safe, so that monsters like don't ruin you."

Saying this, Natsu looked into Lucy's eyes as she turned to gaze into the onyx orbs of an animal, before he lowered his brow to her own. "I'm sorry I've been snappy with you, and I don't expect you to accept, but just know that I'm only this way because I've forgotten how to be any way else and I don't want you to turn into the heartless monster I've become..." Finished speaking, Natsu merely waited for Lucy's tears to subside as she hugged herself to his chest, scared to lose a tangible anchor to something normal. As she wept into his pectorals, the Salamander gazed harshly at the body of Duke Chandrein Everlue, damning it for what it had caused.

"Lucy," Happy began quietly, curling up on her shoulders. "He's not worth crying over. He was rotten long before we came along, and he doesn't deserve your tears. It's okay to cry, but save your tears for later...when there's time for them to be shed for a better reason." The little cat's sagely advice echoed in her ear, her tears slowly ebbing away as Natsu hummed a soft, calming melody in the empty, echoing tunnels of the sewer system. Eventually giving his ward a soft, charming smile, Lucy gave her weak-ever so weak-return of the gesture.

 **Flashback end**

 _Even now,_ Lucy thought, stamped hand over her eyes as the rain poured down on the funeral they attended. _I still see Everlue's face, staring at me lifelessly. Damning me to Hell for what I've done. But you made it easier, Natsu-Or, rather, Dad would be more appropriate-and I'll never forget your face. The way the rain rolls down your cheeks like tears flooding the coffin, the way you're so contented with everything, and the way you'd smiled to me that one day I began down this road as a mage._

Happy's mind was uncharacteristically devoid of thought, all that whorled in his mind were the gifts Natsu had asked him to bestow upon his guildmates. To Cana, he was to give the card holding his father's horns, their use unknown to any party except Cana's future. To Romeo, an ornate lighter, its chamber filled to the brim with powdered fire crystal to be struck alight by the hammer where it would remain until its user decided otherwise. Reedus was to receive be given a canvas Natsu had taken from the sail of a ship. Wakaba had told Natsu that the cigars and plants he smoked were able to be grown by plantation owners in more prestigious parts of the country, sadly Natsu hadn't known what the word prestigious meant and had decided to make cigars from some leaves he'd asked Happy to gather on Galuna Island.

Natsu had an unfinished, unedited, unpublished poetic novel leftover from their days before Lisanna's death, and he'd always told Happy that it wasn't right for him to finish it if he didn't have anyone to write for. Because of this, Happy had decided that the only one who deserved to read or finish it was Levy. Lucy's gift was the powers from the Dragon Lacrima in her breast paired with the Crimson Dragon's Key resting over her heart, so Happy wasn't obligated to give her anything but his kinship, and that's all either of them wanted from each other at that moment. The sound of a child's tears made Happy's ears twitch in confusion.

Turning his head towards the sound, he saw a girl no older than Romeo hugging said boy with tears straining to leave her purple eyes before Cana came over and brought the pair into a comforting hug. A barely audible gasp left Lucy, getting Happy to find she was staring at Fairy Tail's alcoholic and the children as well, her eyes focused more on the similarities between Cana and Romeo. _Purple-brown hair, flawless skin, slim build..._ Gesturing her new brother's head closer to hers, Lucy whispered, "Is Cana Romeo's mother, or _something_?"

A heavy sigh left the big cat, eyes shut and ears folded back. "Let's talk about it after we get back home, Luce," He whispered back, the sound of guilt being predominant in his voice. "But until then, I'd advise we leave them to grieve how they will." Just as he said that, Macao approached the huddle three, crouching and offering his son a hug which the boy took without hesitation.

Macao's mouth moved, but neither Happy nor Lucy could make out what he said with their own thoughts and grief leading everything else to fade away. The only thing either could hear from the Flare Mage was his apology, "Please forgive me for keeping secrets from you!" Whether his apology was directed to his weeping son or the content-looking Natsu in the coffin, was anyone's guess.

Slowly returning his eyes to his father, Happy's mind faded as his eyes openly wept. The things they'd done together were treasures in and unto themselves, for the blue, angelic tiger.

 **Flashback**

"RUN!" Natsu called dramatically, a patrol of templars chasing after him, fully armed and ordering him to stop. "I'M INNOCENT!" His proclamation fell on deaf ears, however, as another patrol appeared atop the roofs of buildings making up this town's streets. Gliding down, feather-like wings extended out like still sails on a ship after falling on its side, Happy came to land in his father's backpack.

"What happened?" Happy asked casually, unsurprised that the authorities were chasing his father again.

Eyes darting every which way, Natsu dashed down a random alleyway. "It's not my fault, this time!" He defended, the doubt his son felt being as apparent to Natsu as his own nose was on his face.

"That's not what I asked, Paatsu." The winged feline said simply, hooking the lip of the bag on itself to stop it from falling on him during conversation. "I asked what happened." A wall was shattered as he finished saying that, eyes wide as realization crossed his mind. "IF YOU'RE INNOCENT, WHY ARE YOU ACTIVELY DESTROYING THE TOWN?!"

"THEY'RE CHASING ME!" Came Natsu's defending argument, dashing through the hole he made into someone's restroom just as the inhabitant shrieked, cries of 'get out' and 'why me' escaping both parties when a bar of soap found its way into Natsu's mouth before being swallowed.

"THAT'S NOT AN EXCUSE!" Happy declared, shielding his young eyes from the curtain-less shower going on in front of him, with Natsu belching up a mess of bubbles before making a break for it out the door at the sight of the templars.

"YES IT IS!" Natsu belched back, a stream of bubbles coming out of his mouth as he did.

"NOT ONE THAT'LL HOLD UP IN COURT!" Retorted his son, one templar's order for the pair to halt reaching both mage's ears. Shaking his head, Happy clambered onto his father's right shoulder just as he started punching his way up a wall. With a paw pointing towards the horizon, Natsu and Lisanna's adopted son shouted, "FULL STEAM AHEAD!" Without another word or another argument on either parties' end, Natsu finished his accent of the building to stand on its roof where three templars awaited them.

"For destruction of public property, theft, resisting arrest and making a mockery of the Ten Zomes of Infinity, you-Natsu 'Salamander' Dragneel of Fairy Tail-are to be brought before the Archbishop and punished for your crimes!" One templar, a regular Natsu and Happy had an on-again-off-again friendship with, named Dan Straight, said authoritatively. "Come quietly in neither you nor your family will be harmed!"

Coming up at Dan's side was a winged, sky blue lion wearing a mitre emblazoned with the Zentopian Church's insignia at its front. His appearance was like that of a wild animal, walking on all four legs before he lowered and flung his head upward in a powerful, foundation-shaking roar of dominance. "Good to see you too, Samuel!" Happy said playfully, getting the now named Samuel to growl a greeting. "You appear to be doing well. Have you figured out how to speak English like that, yet?"

" **Barely!** " Snarled Samuel, silver eyes now round and powerful instead of their usual slitted and manipulatory form. Happy wore a cocky smirk on his face at that, looking to his father knowingly, the look getting Natsu to place his son on the floor beneath their feet with a hand scratching the Fairy Tail Exceed's left ear. Eyes widening in realization, Samuel roared out, " **LOOK OUT!** "

"Too slow!" Happy quipped, his father's mouth opening as a haze engulfed the small feline, his transformation occurring immediately. Bones hardened and grew alongside stretching and tearing muscle, slitted citrine eyes rounded out into orange topazes, wings becoming like those of a furred Roc chick instead of a falcon. Opening his mouthful of large and intimidating teeth, he roared out a challenge to his rival. " **BRING IT ON!** "

From there, it was a blur of sharpened edges belonging to blades, claws, fire and ice.

 **Flashback end**

"Happy," Lucy said, breaking the tiger from his reminiscence with a slight start.

"What is it, Luce?" Happy asked cautiously after taking a few breaths, each one shaky as more memories began to come to the forefront of his mind.

"It's your turn to deliver your eulogy." As she answered, Happy took note that everyone in their guild was looking to him pityingly. Nodding to her words, Happy's eyes hid from view behind his lids with a few deep breaths calming his senses, as he padded to stand at the front of the group.

Passing each member, he could remember everything he and or his father had done alongside them, and deep down he felt a quivering in his heart at the one question he couldn't ask just yet. From the time he'd been transformed into a dragon for a portrait by Mirajane and the time Elfman had taught him how to fish without a rod and line, to the day he and Romeo had decided to pretend to be one another in day to day life. More moments fogged his eyes with each step towards the impromptu podium Droy and Laki had made from vines, saplings and the grass around them. Each step was weak, shaky, hesitant; nothing like what Natsu would've been at his own funeral or his family's.

 _Focus up, Happy,_ The cat thought to himself, reaching the podium. _There's no delaying this any longer, and you owe your dad your best because he's done nothing but his damnedest to raise and be there for you..._ Another deep breath was taken as he stepped onto the boulder slab that Gajeel had made to act as the inevitable base for Fairy Tail's only sufficient gift to part Natsu with. Eyes fogged and round, the orange gems he called eyes rolled over everyone who'd attended, in the group or not.

His aunt, uncle, and sister stood close to the forefront of the coffin, Mirajane having knelt down to stroke Natsu's cold cheek with tears streaming down her face behind the black, mesh veil she'd only worn once before in Happy's memory. Makarov, the Thunder God Tribe, Laxus, and Chico of all people were right across from them, Laxus' hand being gripped around that of the only other Soul Mage in Fairy Tail. Erza and Gray, Natsu's best friends growing up in Fairy Tail, were just after Happy's immediate family. Both the Titania and the recently-dubbed Frozen Orion were silent, eyes averted from Natsu's contented face in shame they didn't deserve to burden themselves with.

Macao, Wakaba, Romeo, and Cana were across from Natsu's best friends with Alzack, Bisca and their no-longer-secret daughter, Caitlyn, were after them in the lineup at Natsu's sides. Shadow Gear were after Erza and Gray, Laki and Juvia standing in between them for their own reasons, but there was one thing that all of them shared: grief and guilt. Everyone else was behind them or at the foot of Natsu's soon-to-be final, eternal bed of solid earth and tender soil. There were the exceptions to those actually 'attending' the funeral such as Dan, Samuel, Najenda, Najenda's lackeys and some of the people they'd changed the lives of. The Elemental Four, Bobo, Ultear, Yajima, Bob, and the group from the Tower of Heaven had all chosen to stay back from the group, appearing to inspect and pay homage to the nearby graves.

Shaking his head slightly with a clearing of his throat, Happy began to speak the words he'd pray his father could hear from across the Golden Gates. "There truly are no words to describe the impact that my father, Natsu, had on the lives of those around him. Even when he was at his worst, he'd put others before himself and thought to give second chances against his immediate feelings. We've a few members of our very guild to thank him for. Juanda, Gajeel, Bora, Wendy, Carla, Lucy, and perhaps many more we've not come to know.

"To say that he was full of surprises is the biggest understatement you'd ever make in your life, and his entire life is proof of that. To really, _truly_ understand how I feel about my father; how _we all_ feel about him, we must know him and what that life was like. Raised by the King of Fire Dragons, Igneel, he was the Fire Dragon Prince, not something you'd expect from such an excitable," Happy said with a nostalgic chuckle, shaking his head to clear his mind of his memories distracting him. "Headstrong man like him. Eventually, however, Igneel vanished without a trace and had left his son one gift-one memento-the dragon scale scarf you see around his neck even now. He went looking for his missing father, somehow making his way into Magnolia and, from there, into Fairy Tail. More specifically, into Fairy Tail's heart."

He paused, orange orbs gazing into the eyes of all who'd listen and watch, before continuing. "Fairy Tail, strongest and most famous guild in England-formerly known as Fiore, took him in and raised him further as if her were a child of its own making. He fought to become stronger, he worked to act better, and he hoped to find his missing father. Simple and noble goals, all of them, but life-hehehe-has a funny way of derailing all within it. As he did these things, taking jobs and training until his body gave out, he made rivals into friends and friends into family.

"One of these rivals is our very own Gray Fullbuster, Ice-Make student of Ur Milkovich and son of Ice Devil Slayer, Silver Fullbuster. They fought, they argued, they agreed, they built off of one another like the artists of the Sistine Chapel. But, rivalries change over the years...Where once they'd fight for no other reason than to prove one as superior, they now would fight for the pleasure of each other's company and would exchange punches like we exchange words. A punch to the face could be a friendly 'hello' and a kick to the stomach wouldn't hurt as bad as it should as it was a joke between the two about which was gutsier." Deep, shaky breaths left Gray at that moment, Erza's hand finding its way onto his shoulder as he slumped into her, his tears freezing into tiny gemstones of ice that struck the ground beside the rain.

"Another rival he'd had was Erza Scarlet, the Fairy Queen, Titania. He'd challenge her every chance he could while they grew up, the desperation in his voice cracking the heavy shell she'd worn after her harsh past, and she'd oblige him with a quick and merciful defeat. However, much like he and Gray's relationship, he and Erza's grew into something more. He wouldn't beg to fight her anymore, knowing she'd oblige regardless of whether either of them wanted to, and he'd happily accept the blows she dealt him with joy that his former crush would dance with him in the only way they knew how." Everyone at the assembly gasped, quietly or not depending on the person, except for Erza. She'd always known how he'd felt for her when they were young, and there were days she regretted turning him down the day he'd asked her out.

"Both loved one another like the most passionate lovers," Happy began again, quelling the gasps with a heavy beat of his wings. "But they'd both come to understand that neither of them would survive the other if they were to be an item, so they danced. Every clash of fire and steel was the music by which they'd dance, waltzing along the line between friends, enemies and lovers. Relishing every time they clashed, they remained the closest of friends. In Erza's own words, they were 'the kindest of friends, greatest of opponents but the worst of lovers', much unlike the girl who'd become far more than that to my father."

"One day, three white haired children came to Fairy Tail, having run away from the military life they'd no choice in having. The eldest of the three, Mirajane Strauss, had been accused of being a demon and her siblings had been accused of harboring as such. Their mother, Najenda Strauss, artificially conceived with the transplanted soul of the Blizzard Queen, Lunamei's daughter of the same first name...She couldn't stop the accusations or the death threats without causing Hell for the Royal Family, so she sent them somewhere they'd be safe, somewhere an old friend would be able to keep their dangerous tendencies in check." Happy paused, gauging the reactions of his aunt and uncle, seeing both Mira and Elf wipe away stray tears and nod for him to continue.

Picking up where he left off, he said, "To keep their dangerous tendencies in check. These tendencies were outbursts of the Blizzard Princess' farewell blessing to her dear children. My father, unaware of this plan or the fact that he'd killed Najenda's husband years prior, of course caused fights with all three of them. Mira was the first to strike terror into him and, unlike Erza, he wasn't drawn to this fear like he was with his 'fight buddy'...He was terrified of her, ashamed of himself in her mere presence, and would often hide behind others when she was nearby. Elfman-hehehe-was too much of a gentleman for his own good, and would often allow Natsu the first strike, dooming him to failure every time until one particularly rain day.

"Much like today, it was pouring, and it brought two people together in such a way that no one in Fairy Tail could understand. Na-" Happy faltered at that, knowing that he was stepping into dangerous territory with this eulogy, and the thought speaking his father's name suddenly felt wrong in someway. "Dad had always loved the rain, how it washes away the pain from burns and leaves behind everything cleaned of damage, and that day he'd love it even more for it brought him the most beautiful girl in the world...That girl was Lisanna, an Animal Takeover Mage with the spirit and drive to compete head to head with Natsu for the future rank of Guild Master, and she gave him a run for his money every time they clashed." Everyone who knew how Lisanna and Natsu were chuckled softly, remembering better, happier days.

"They'd clashed so many times it became more regular than my dad and Erza's spats, causing a distance to form between the two of them, and then...and then..." Once again, he faltered, tears forming in his eyes at the days he'd desperately relive just to see both his mother and father alive and well and happy. He shuddered, fighting back tears, before continuing with an uneasy standing until frost and ice began covering everything near him as his breath became visible. "And then they found me! They found my egg, the air around me freezing so much that their breath was a mist, and my father-being who he is-mistook me for a dragon's egg. From there, they raised me as their own, everyday being a different experience than the last. The best experience, however, was the day dad showed off the magic he has with his voice. He sung a beautiful melody in place of simply asking her out normally, and she accepted. From there, it's a blur of familial bonds and..." Happy's eyes turned to both his aunt and uncle, damning them.

Another deep breath was taken, the ice spreading. "Mistakes...Mistakes had been made. My mother, so proud and kind, went with her siblings to fight a monster and...and she didn't come back. That's the day that began this cascade towards today. Mom, she...she kept my dad in check, kept him at bay enough to be reasonable, and without her he became the thing that had killed her..." This time, instead of just staring he glared at both his aunt and uncle with tears streaming down his cheeks. "A monster! It took three days for a small group of S-Class mages to keep him in control, and by that time the damage was done. His soul was cracked and his heart...shattered. Again, it's a blur, only this time a blur of social withdrawal and family ties straining. It all changed the day we met my sister Lucy...It all...It all became like the days my dad had told me it'd been like before he and mom married. But it seems that fate is not kind to the damaged..."

He bowed his head, losing track, until he shook his head and said, "There aren't words in any language to do my father justice, but there are things we will do that can..." He glanced at certain members among the guild and those around, knowing that they were following his train of thought. Wiping some more tears off his face, he continued. "My father had once told me that in the even of his unexpected passing, that he wouldn't want his children to cry over him; he wants us to live our lives like we'll never see another sunrise so that, when we do inevitably pass...When we inevitably pass, we can say with our heads held high, 'I laughed, I cried, I lost, I won, I danced, I fell: _I lived as a member of the greatest damned guild in the world!_ '" Without warning, he roared something proud and strong, getting the others with the vocal range to follow it with an equally proud voice even if they weren't of the same guild. The humans attending cheered, the sorrow still there but shifted more into pride as they pointed to the sky like they'd always done.

" **IXEN DARASTRIX...** " Lucy began.

" **USK DARASTRIX...** " Gajeel started.

" **SVANT DARASTRIX...** " Wendy prepared.

" **IMGODID DARASTRIX...** " Kinana initiated.

" **XARZITH DARASTRIX...** " Najenda readied.

" **LIGHTNING DRAGON...** " Laxus commenced.

"DESERT GOD..." Juanda planned.

"ICE DEVIL..." Gray preceded.

And, finally, Happy finished: "BLIZZARD!"

As one, they called as one, "BELLOW/ **VEBREN/ROAR!** " Their combined roar ascended to form the Fairy Tail emblem in the skies above them, their proclamation to Natsu and Lisanna that they would do them proud. What no one noticed, was that a certain red headed had vanished from the assembly of teary-eyed mages pointing to an aerial, elemental insignia.

 **Erza's POV**

 _WHAT WAS THAT?!_ I mentally shrieked, falling against the side of a tree. _WHAT DID I JUST SEE?!_ Back at the cemetery, I'd seen something, if just for a moment, and everything in me was telling me to run. To hide. To _find somewhere safe and never leave!_ What I'd seen, was something that seemed out of place, but felt absolutely horrifying and made me want to run to somewhere no one would find me so I could curl up and cry until I died.

When Happy gave that final line about the greatest guild in the world, I felt nostalgia from some time I couldn't seem to remember and I saw somebody in Natsu's place inside that coffin. Instead of the salmon-headed pyrovore I'd loved from the day I'd met him, I saw a black-haired man in red and black robes with a long, white toga wrapped draped around his chest. My stomach had knotted and my heart had beat twenty times faster, and the sight of him laying that coffin made me want to run and hide.

Shapes were darting around behind my eyes, the sight of a mere beetle got a triangle and an octagon to overlay one another on it with two words leaving my lips. " **Target: Locked!** " I said, punching it and obliterating the tree it had been on. " **What's happening to me?! Somebody help me... _please!_** " Just as I said that, the sound of gas-fueled flames got me to turn around and find-" **Cephalon Model: Darius. Name: Black Knight Lancelot...** " I uttered, the words feeling foreign on my lips as a panel flipped to reveal a place for me to lay down as he took me somewhere safe. _HOW DO I KNOW THESE THINGS?!_ Came a shriek from inside my mind, sounding so familiar it was like- _I'M SCREAMING AND I CAN'T STOP!_ I mentally cried, tears leaving my eyes as I jumped into the form-fitting panel. I could feel the magnetism paired with pure suction keep me in place as I lay there, looking down at the ground before the panel I was on once more flipped, turning me to face inside of the spacecraft and let my vision fade to black.

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

That's a wrap ladies, gents and other! Now, the Erza shipping's something that came to me after watching/listening to the musical Hamilton (Loved it!) and it's something I've found with former items that parted on good terms: there's a love there still, but it's not directed at the original focus. I still love my ex to peaces, but I know they don't feel the same way about me, and that's fine. Some people break up and still love each other but know that they just don't work. An example would be Mako and Korra: they love each other, but they're incompatible. What does this have to do with Hamilton?

Angelica and Alexander, in a romance of sorts, can't be together because of their previous choices. Alexander Hamilton chose Eliza to be his wife thanks to Angelica who'd sized him up too quickly. Angelica'd stated that she still loves him, and even though she has to eventually marry someone else of wealth, she'll always keep his letters close to her heart and keep his eyes in her mind. This is the same with Natsu and Erza. Their pasts are holding them back and although they love each other to bits, they can't turn back the clock and have one cake and eat it too without making someone else hurt. Natsu loves Lisanna, unquestionably, and he loves Erza unquestioningly, but he knows he can only have one of the two. He chose Lisanna.

In almost every fanfic, we see Natsu's attracted to the women who are mages and could, hypothetically, kick his ass to next Tuesday. That's why Natsu*Erza makes sense here: he's attracted to her strength, but their personalities and natures would end up _literally killing them_ before they admit defeat to the fact that they don't work. Natsu's brash, violent and primal. Erza's firm, commanding and can't deal with his antics after so long. She'd kill him and then kill herself outta guilt. Inversely, he'd grow enraged with her after she chose to take it easy for a while and would end up doing the same thing: killing her and taking his own life in one form or another.

How does Happy know this? Well, it's kinda obvious. He knows his father's time in Fairy Tail like he knows his own mind and would recognize that there's something going on whenever Natsu challenges Erza. They'd strike one another and they'd feel invigorated to continue, the desire to keep dancing is only halted by exhaustion. If you've read Discorded Whooves, you'd possibly draw a parallel between this and the Doctors relationship with Twilight and Octavia. Twilight's his love interest and fuck buddy, but Octavia's got a chemistry with him on the dancefloor, something Twilight doesn't.

Same thing. Natsu and Lisanna fought near-constantly growing up together, and he enjoyed the thrill of it, but he loved her for not only her but also the sex and the chemistry they shared outta the battlefield. Erza's his 'battlefield bride', as it were, and can grant him a fight his wife can't: an unfair one where his romantic inclinations can't bite him in the ass.

"Well, if that's the case, why doesn't he just fight everyone who's S-Class?!" Because that's not how romance works. If you've ever seen those romances where they're based on combat encounters, you'd know what I mean. On the battlefield, it's horrific and devoid of anything good, but Natsu's found something that's both: A potential mate who's stronger than him, but is also drop-dead gorgeous!

Natsu and Erza aren't gonna be shipped in this outside of backstory or their clashes, but this is something I've wanted to try out and I'd like some feedback. Now, Erza's role in the grander scheme of things is gonna be fun for ya'll to know. Two reviews are coming to mind right now. Svane Vulfbad, you're worried this will be a harem story and trust me, I've had that fear as well. I'd originally thought about that and re-realized something: I can figure out how to set up a poll and ask ya'll who you want to stay outta certain romances. Now, Natsu's immortality will play a role in how his romance works, leading to particular issues. Unless you count potential polls concerning romance and the eventual loss of his wife, this won't really count as a harem story.

Midnightscar17, you're annoyed that I don't translate what the Darastrix Sventlin are saying in Draconic. Although I understand that, this isn't your average fanfic: this story's connected to my other ones and that means that world-building is in order. Not only that, but Draconic's a dead language and thus, won't be understood by anyone except a select few in the story and almost nobody will understand it IRL! Think of the lack of translation as a nod to the connection between this story and reality as well as a way for ya'll to learn something new and sorta neat.

Not much else to say so (As Always: Thanks for being here, R&R, _please review_ , no flaming my ass, constructive criticism and SEE YA-G'NIGHT!)


	30. Speak Yourself Mute, My Hero

Whaz up ladies, gents and other! Holy shit, we hit thirty chapters! My Naruto story's at forty-one, but it's on Hiatus for a bit, and this is a fucking milestone for me! Ya'll have no idea how excited I am! I mean...there are no words! Fairy Tail's popularity and ya'll's acceptance of my story's gotten this story to where it is, for that I'm beyond grateful.

Alright, enough with the sappy shit, time to get back to making something entertaining. So, when we last left off, Erza got picked up by a spacecraft while simultaneously having a severe panic attack while the rest of Fairy Tail's proclaiming that they're the best. (Kinda are at this point, but whatevs.) Not a whole lot to say at the moment because ideas are trying to break my brain, so I'll get _right_ to the news! Please note that this chapter's gonna be weird since I'm introducing a bit heavier shit than I have before, so the characters might seem...'janky', if that makes sense outside of my own head.

Please forgive the 'jankiness' because it's going somewhere good and the jankiness is a stepping stone towards the end goal.

Written documentation

 _Thoughts or emphasis_

'Paraphrasing'

"Normal speech"

" **Abnormal speech** "

" **Unknown speech** "

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

"Alright lady, what the fuck?" Natsu demanded, head floating just above the regenerative fluids in his chamber, slamming his claws against the acrylic. "I thought you said we'd be regenerating in _Izalith_ , not some random..." Eyes glancing around, all he saw were more regeneration chambers and brick walls. "Where are we?" He asked simply after a pause.

Closing her book with a snap, the buxom Goddess of the Chilled Moon looked up into her old friend's eyes until he lowered himself into the water to stare at her expectantly with his arms crossed in front of his chest. With a heavy sigh, Seilah found and placed a simple bookmark where she'd left off, an unnecessary action but anything would do to delay the inevitable right now. Slowly looking into his onyx eyes with her own Heliotrope orbs, the racing of her heart unheard to any but her own ears whereas the sweat on her brow was all too visible, she calmly answered his query. "We're inside a temple-"

"Figures!" Natsu interrupted sourly with a glare to the side, voice audible despite the liquid due to the speaker system inside each chamber.

"On Plutogrim." Seilah finished with a glare directed at her fellow immortal, her words obviously striking a cord with him as his arms unfolded and he floated to the surface to breath. While he did so, the Lamy that was present was eye-level with the Fire Dragon Prince's well-endowed groin, getting her to gasp and becoming a fountain of blood from her nose.

"LADY SEILAH," Lamy shrieked in arousal. "I WANT HIM!" For her honesty, the mass-produced lagamorph-turned-demon found her ears in Seilah's grasp until said immortal tossed her up to catch and crush her skull in her bare hand, shaking off the blood in distaste.

"You're free to speak your mind now, Pantheon." Seilah said, opening her book back up and removing the bookmark, the inevitable being a short wait this time. Without warning Natsu roared fury so loud the cylindrical chamber he was in shattered, spilling the regenerative fluids out onto the floor as he fell to his feet and continued roaring, the other chambers shattering as a result. _As expected,_ She thought in an uncharacteristically melancholic manner. _He's pissed._ "That's right, get it all out of your system..."

He continued roaring, the sound causing Seilah to decrease the power of her senses long enough to wait out her comrade's incoherent tirade, until he finally stopped after a whole twenty minutes. Panting from the exertion of his lungs, Natsu bit out, "How long have we been stationed on this fucking..." Teeth grit and sparks dancing across his scales like the most dangerous ball of all. "I don't even have a word to describe what he is! I mean, I love the kid but...He's too inexperienced to handle all of the shit we deal with!"

A simple nod was the response he received, the glass and liquid returning to its original state of regeneration chambers, all the while Natsu was still naked. "Natsu, my friend," Seilah began with a slight blush and a cheeky smirk. "As much as I enjoy the view, I think you're going to need to cover yourself up."

"Fuck you! Soak it all in, _everybody!_ Not like we're all alone in a chamber where nobody else is around to see my groin!" Natsu countered, strutting himself about in an exaggerated manner, going out of his way to show off his six inch long and two inch thick phallus. "Besides, it's not like you can get aroused by men anymore thanks to-"

" **WHERE AM I?! WHAT'S GOING ON?!** " Came a familiar voice, a large hanger door opening another room over to allow Lancelot to hover into the temple. " **LET** **ME OUT OF HERE!** " Natsu shook his head, cocking back a fiery fist before bursting it through the wall into the hangar, getting Seilah to groan.

"Do you have to break everything?" She groaned.

"I'm not _dead!_ " Natsu snarled. "I want to be at peace but this damned hex won't let me, so _yes_!" In response to his words, he found a crossblade in his back-poking out of his chest-and an enraged Seilah.

"WELL HOW DO YOU THINK I FEEL?!" She bellowed, coming to stand in front of him and pull her weapon _through_ his chest, causing his upper torso to fall to the floor, dead. "I CAN NEVER KNOW THE LOVE YOU DID ANYMORE, DUNCAN! I CAN NEVER HAVE DESCENDANTS LIKE YOU DO!" Her eyes...Her damning heliotrope eyes. They dared him to survive what she'd just done. They dared him to speak in his own defense.

Natsu said nothing, waiting to bleed to death before beginning the regeneration process all over again. "WHAT THE FUCK, SIVIR?!" Came another familiar voice, this one belonging to the former Dog of War. This voice belonged to Natsu's former pet. "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THAT HE'S HERE?!" The shouting male had shoulder-length dark blonde hair with light blue highlights that fell down to frame his visage and to perpetually hide his left blue eye, and two dog ears jutting out of the crown of his skull. He'd been at the entrance to the hangar when Natsu had destroyed the wall, but the moment he saw the man fall he was there, cradling his torso. "MASTER, STAY WITH ME! _PLEASE DON'T DIE!_ "

"I'm not dead, boy." Natsu said kindly-endearingly-from the nearest Regeneration Chamber, the body Seilah had killed beginning to burn, char and flake away like the ash of a volcanic eruption, getting the blonde man to begin wagging a now-visible dog tail before dashing to kneel in front of the chamber with his right fist over his heart while the other found its way behind his back to act as lumbar support. "I'm just wishing I was..."

"My apologies, Master," The canid male said earnestly, head bowed in shame. "I wasn't aware that my loyalty was such a burden..."

"Alright," Natsu began angrily, rising to breath at the top of the chamber. "Shut up, Jackal! Your loyalty's not the problem; the problem is back down on Earth."

"Should I eliminate it like I did our enemies back in the God War?!" The now named Jackal asked excitedly, head risen to look his master in the eye with a sharp, dog-toothed smile. An appreciative chuckle answered him, getting his bushy tail to wag happily.

"As much as I'd wish you could eliminate the problem, boy, it's not something that can be physically destroyed. Unlike my body- _Seilah_ -it's a conceptual problem that's plagued me for some time, now." Natsu said sadly, looking to the woman who'd taken his life not a minute ago with false malice. More screams came from the hanger, getting Natsu to glare towards the dark spacecraft that had landed a few meters away from the hole he'd made in the wall. His malice, once unheated and directed at his most recent murderer, turned to whatever was shrieking from inside the Orbiter. Each shriek was paired with a pounding against the walls of the Lower Deck, coming from the starboard side, indicating that the captured individual was in the Orbiter's infirmary. "Jackal, be a good dog and bring to me whatever Lancelot has brought to this place!"

Jackal nodded, a gleeful smile playing across his lips-no doubt thrilled at once again having his master to give his life purpose-as he approached and opened the spacecraft. Falling from the emergency hatch Jackal had opened was a tall creature all three recognized as a relic of the past, like themselves. This creature was thin and toned, her height being a seven-foot-eleven added an intimidating air about her that the other three in the chamber couldn't deny. Her head was insectoid in structure, two pairs of small mandibles made up her manducating orifice with a large pair of darkened multi-faceted eyes taking up the sides of her skull; biological, red ornamentations in the shape of butterfly wings hung from the back of her head like it was her hair and or her audio-receptive organs. Rising from the top of her skull were twig-like growths with 'leaves' of color-varying, pixelated flames that hinted at her former lives.

Her neck, thick as an arm and a foot in length, was partially supported by a strange collar-like mass that rose up at the base of her neck from her collarbone before sliding down and over to the outside so as to frame her sizable, exposed bosom. Skin colored like the foliage in a forest, more butterfly wing-like ornamentations were found on the sides of her arms and at her attractive hips. Although she had meat on her bones, her muscularity was significantly less pronounced than she was normally, leaving her stomach smooth and her waist slightly smaller while leaving her hips, legs and arms muscled enough to be effective both in and out of combat. Legs, toned and thicc at the thighs, were thin below the knee and became double-jointed. Below her knees were foot-long calves that ended at a joint that lead to a lengthened tarsus.

Natsu, seeing how she was holding a Skana, shattered the regeneration chamber and ran to stand in front of his fellow immortals with hands visibly disarmed. "Easy, Erza," The Salamander began charmingly, getting the female before them to jolt in shock at her name being used, the darkened coloration of her eyes fading away to reveal the color of her eyes were a vibrant emerald color full of intelligence and fear. "I just wanna help you..."

" **Natsu?!** " Erza demanded in several voices, predominantly her own, with a fusion of electro-mechanical and organic tones in her speech. " **N-N-No! You're- _Natsu_ is dead! Some kind of trick...WHO ARE YOU AND WHY ARE YOU WEARING MY BEST FRIEND'S SHAPE?!** " Not waiting for an answer, Erza dashed for Natsu with a slash. That slash would never break his skin, for as soon as it touched him, Jackal was upon her in an instant with a form much more fitting of his name.

Where once had been a loyal man, now was an obsessed caninthrope intent on destroying his master's attacker. " **YOU'D ATTACK MY MASTER, YOU _PARASITIC_ _WHORE?!_** " Jackal roared out, his canid maw open wide as his words came out in a swift, bark-like pattern with certain letters sounding constrained by some invisible force. " **I'LL MAKE YOU PAY FOR EVEN MEETING MY MASTER ON THE BATTLEFIELD!** " As he roared, he swung his elongated and sharper-clawed arms at his master's attacker, digitigrade paws digging into the stone as he swung with all his might. Erza, relying on instincts she didn't recognize, ducked under the swing and found that the ceiling to the hanger they were in had been obliterated in an explosion.

" **What in God's name...** " Erza gasped, barely dodging the next several consecutive swings and slashes from the Golden Hound. Furry, clawed hands and forearms blackened by his power, his claws were aglow with power as he brought his left arm back and swung the opposite limb forward. The tips of his claws dragged with them a sinuous essence through the air with said essence being flung towards Erza in a helical fashion, causing an enormous explosion to erupt in the form of a cyclone.

" **COMBUSTIVE HELIX!** " Jackal howled in completion of his attack, the gleam in his oceanic orbs being all there was without sclera or pupil to speak of, laughing soon after as he reveled in the thrill of cutting loose his restraints if only for that iota of time. His bellowing cackles died in his throat, however, when he saw the flames of his spell were dwindling and convening into his master's open jaws. " **Master,** " The caninthrope gasped in shock, confusion swimming inside him until Natsu had finished eating the flames and had Erza's alien form in his arms, bridal style. " **What are you doing? She struck you, why are you sparing her?!** "

No immediate answer came from the salmon haired man, opting to place his friend in a regeneration chamber after altering some of the settings. As the chamber filled with liquid and power, Natsu turned to look at his former pet with a heavy sigh. "Because she's my brother's wife."

 **Flashback: Over Two Thousand Years Ago**

I was merely a soldier, being a part of the front in the charge against the lesser races of the world in the name of my estranged and promiscuous father's empire. Standing in line in our formation before battle, I was lost in thought as I wondered if my father ever felt anything but lust for my mother or the mothers of my half-siblings. "Soldier 76," My commanding officer declared in front of me, shaking me from my mind as I found its mouth spewing saliva into my eyes. I didn't dare blink. Blinking away the saliva of the Field Marshal was tantamount to treason for any front, so I didn't blink and 'happily' accepted his 'courteous and extravagant blessing' without a word. "Why is it that every soldier in this army group is at attention and I see that there are stars somewhere they don't belong?!"

"My apologies-" I made to say, finding the skin-covered claw of the insectoid-reptilian's second right limb square in my stomach, my body feeling weak even as I fought to stand.

"Did I hear backtalk, Soldier 76?!" The Field Marshal demanded, digging the claw deeper to force me to my knees so that it might inflict even greater pain on my heretical existence. I shook my head silently, not daring to utter a sound lest I shriek and reward myself more torture even as liquids leaked out of me without my consent, earning me a harder push of its claw into my stomach. " _DID I HEAR BACKTALK, SOLDIER 76?!_ " It demanded once more, twisting its claw in my abdomen for emphasis.

"No, Field Marshal," I gasped pitifully. "You did not hear backtalk!"

"ARE YOU SAYING MY HEARING'S SUB PAR, SOLDIER 76?! ARE YOU SAYING I'M UNFIT FOR COMBAT- _UNFIT FOR COMMAND?!_ " As soon as I heard the first question leave its mouth, I knew I was going to die if not for some divine intervention. I didn't dare answer, I merely bowed my head in acceptance of my fate.

"That's enough, Field Marshal!" Came the voice of the boy I'd come to both admire and despise, both my pair of eyes and the Field Marshal's three orbs turned to find the Emperor's son was watching with horrified tears streaming down his face as his mother-the Empress-attempted to silence his sobs of naive terror. Unfortunately, the Empress could not sway her son to bite his tongue, getting the Emperor to glare at me in disgust. This was my fault, of course. I'd let my mind, something I shouldn't have had let alone a life, wander and I was paying for it. "He's your subordinate, you shouldn't be killing him! We need each and every member of our army to win any war..." The Imperial Heir declared foolishly, defending the kind of creature he should have hated more than the sun's heat could burn.

"But, Your Highness-" The Field Marshal began, pulling its claw out of my stomach to turn its six-legged form so it could bow its bone-crested brow, the green of its shell reminding me that it was a semi-amphibious creature that commanded the army group I was in. Standing at nine feet when at attention, it stood upon six hardened, skin-covered claws that extended from the grappling hands that most would assume were its knees. Its shell, the thing I wished I'd had at that moment, was made of bone instead of whatever bugs were made of, and I almost wished I had the razor sharp teeth it had without any lips so nothing could see how my lips quivered in agonizing fear.

The Imperial Heir, daring the Field Marshal to defy his will, strut forward and grabbed the angler fish-like organ underneath its chin that allowed it to see what was alive or not. "No buts, Field Marshal, this soldier will be fighting for the Orokin Empire-The Empire which I will someday inherit-and he should be treated like any other soldier instead of like the enemy!"

"My son," The Emperor-the man who'd impregnated my mother with me-began commandingly, his ice and golden robes casting a light all its own that not even the moon would dare reflect out of fear of his wrath. "There was insubordination shown to the Field Marshal, in front of the rest of the front, no less. Let it do as it sees fit with this."

"No, Father," The Imperial Heir defended, running under the Field Marshal before trying to lift me to my feet, the gasps of all those around us making him glare confusedly at them. "This is cruel and unusual punishment to one's subordinate for no reason other than having been lost in thought. Perhaps he has friends or family that he wishes to return to, or perhaps he's paying silent homage to any of his comrades who might not be in this army group with him! We should not punish free thought, but instead encourage it in our subjects."

"Alexander," The Empress began threateningly. "Bite your tongue and do as your father says!"

"No, Mother, I won't stand idly by as one of my future subjects is punished for no crime he's committed! If he must be punished for thinking for himself, _then so should I!_ " His final words made everyone's eyes widen in horror, several gasps escaping opened mouths, mine included.

"Imperia-" I made to say, finding the small fist of the Field Marshal in my face.

"Do not speak unless spoken to, Soldier 76! _Especially_ whilst in the company of the Imperial family!" It made to punch me again, my eyes closed in resignation, when the Imperial Heir moved me so that he would take the punch instead. I stared, aghast, at the Heir as he began crying at the pain he'd been dealt by my commanding officer. "Y-Your Highness, My apologies!"

"Don't speak unless spoken to, Field Marshal!" I spat, rising to stand, the blood of the Emperor doing its job in my veins, healing me. As I rose, I grabbed a pair of twin Overedge sabers-one being cracked and white with glowing crystal feathers climbing the spine of the blade while the other was a splintered, black blade with black scales sliding down the blade like a shell while both had the leather of deceiving beasts around their hilts-and I began approaching the Field Marshal without hesitation. My blood, powered by the Emperor's mistake of bedding my mother, began to boil and heal my wounds as I was engulfed in fire.

"Daring to talk back to me and heal whilst doing so, eh?! Prepare for damnation, Soldier 76!" Field Marshal declared, soon finding that it was missing two of its three left legs, causing it to fall and find one of the white blade's feathers piercing one of its trio of eyes. "DAMNATION!" It shrieked in pain as its eyes closed to fight off louder cries, able to sense me with its chin organ before it felt my fist around said organ as I ripped the organ out of its body.

"You struck the Imperial Heir-one of the Imperial Family-the family which I, as a soldier, am _sworn to protect with the lives of millions_ -and you act like _I'm_ the one whose committed treason when it's you that's insulted the very name of my Emperor!" It made to cleave my head from my shoulders, quickly finding both sabers blocking the strike which sent me flying towards the Emperor and Empress before I slammed my feet into the ground which stopped me short a foot from the both of them. "And now you've almost harmed the _Empress and Emperor_ with me as a weapon! You're a traitor by the laws that govern war and must be dealt with posthaste, like all traitors should be..." Pulling my feet out of the ground, I let the fire embracing me take the shape of wings, adding to my intimidating nature as I began slowly approaching the creature which had meant to kill me not three minutes earlier.

"Emperor," The Field Marshal called out in fear. "I implore you to spare me this humiliation!" Its words were met with a glare from the Emperor and Empress, both still and silent as was tradition whilst observing a public execution. "Empress?" Came the Field Marshal's plea, desperate to escape the shame of falling to a bastard's blades, and no answer but a glare was given to it. I reached the Field Marshal as it struggled to crawl away from me, soon finding my bright blade in the hand of its remaining left leg while I gutted it with the dark blade.

I firstly reached in and pulled out its digestive system, completely oblivious to the anatomy of anything besides a rock-and even that was pushing it. Pulling out the digestive system, I looked to the berries that it called lungs, plucking each and every last one of them from their stems and placing them into my mouth where they were eaten and swallowed like the last meal I'd ever consume. Next was any one of its small hearts, each one pulsating in between any groups of more than two veins. Before I could attack any one of those, however, I felt the arms of the Imperial Heir grappling my lower back to try and hold me still. "Don't kill it!" He begged me, the flames on my back scorching his hair from a beautiful, radiant red ruby into a now lesser gradient of said color. "Let it face the judgement of my Father's court and you'll be a hero who saved the Imperial Heir from a treacherous combatant."

My eyes widened as my blade fell from my grasp, the fire fading away as I fell to my knees in shock. _He really, actually doesn't hate me for breathing...Why?_

"Because my Father told me that every Imperial Heir has a hero guarding them from danger," He said, reading my thoughts being a power he must've inherited from our not-so-secretly-shared father. "And I've no hero to guard me..." That final part of it made my heart ache, having always been under duress due to my mistake of existing, it felt so humbling to know that I wasn't the only one who felt the pain of solitude. For the first time in my life, I let another being other than my poor mother into my life.

Slowly, ever so slowly, I removed the Imperial Heir's arms so that I might kneel and pledge myself. Without resistance, I did just that. "As you wish, My Lord. From henceforth, all will know that the Imperial Heir's blade is that which none would dare fight for fear of shame. I am the blade that the bone of your Father was forged from. Fire being my blood, the steel of my blades will house me as the heavens do our family." Saying this, I grabbed my fallen blade and gathered my other saber, returning to bow proudly. A hand over my heart both from the front and back, I knelt to a single knee and continued. "A thousand blades have been created to be teach the unknown to Death by robbing thought from Life. My glass heart beats for you, as the soldiers behind your generals forge themselves from blade and iron.

" _Countless battlefields shall fall by my hand alone should you merely ask of me._ Not once retreating, never once asking to understand this fealty. A hill of the dead will be where I'll stand, drunk of victory alone, so that you might forge a new world order. Without hesitation or doubt, my life now has no meaning without your guiding hand behind it...From henceforth, I am yours to do with as you please." I finished, eyes aglow with power as my garments changed to match my new role as the Imperial Heir's protector. Before I'd worn a faulty leather tunic with the number '76' inscribed on the front, now I stood tall and proud with a blood-red shroud of holy inclination inscribed with '76' on the back while its front remained open to allow viewing of my black full-bodysuit underneath. A red skirt reached my knees, opening itself at the front of my waist to reveal the daggers that hung around my legs.

Strapped to my back was the bow I'd once fashioned from the crystal tree sapling I'd charred, a quiver of jagged, barely-able-to-be-shot concrete 'arrows', that hung from my hip like nothing was there. Wrapped around my calves were sheathes for my blades, both of which had changed from splintered and cracked blades I'd be receiving anyway, into blades wearing a honeycomb pattern traced with the stone scales of dragons the Empire's Basis had defeated acting as the plates of the comb. The feathers hadn't left the bright blade, but the darkened blade now had sharpened spines climbing away from my hand to form a secondary edge while both had a circular symbol near the hilt. Two scorpion barbs, one being white and another black, placed with the tip touching the rounded portion of the other; these were what my thumbs could brush against any time I needed to remind myself of my purpose.

"Is that supposed to be a weapon?" The Imperial Heir asked, nodding to my failure of a bow, behind us all the while marched the army without me or my notice. It appeared that we'd been there longer than it felt, as I soon found the Imperial Heir handing me a stronger, sturdier and most importantly, better bow than the one that was now missing from my back. "That's much better!" He chuckled, handing me back the weapon he'd transformed from a crystalline sapling with budding leaves and branches ruining any chance at aim, into what was now a gorgeous gold and platinum work of art. The string, once merely made of random hairs, strings and fibers, now was made from the wool of a Golden Ram, whereas the bow itself was shaped from the Everfrost's prismic residue and the crystalline sapling I'd used. "Now for ammunition..." Muttered my charge, getting me to look and find a bright light engulfing my quiver's arrows, replacing the concrete with fletched, spiral-cone-diamond-tipped arrows made from the dust of fallen and dying stars.

Each one of these gifts came from the Horseman Death who'd appeared from thin air. " **These should do the Imperial Heir's new guard, just fine. Let every arrow you fire with this bow, fly true into its target. May every slash of these blades be fruitful and swift. Please allow every throw of a fist to be the source of your foes' suffering.** " Death said hauntingly, every hair on my body standing on end, before he vanished as soon as he came.

The sounds of combat brought my attention to the battle being waged in the valley below us, getting me to look and find my charge giving me a consenting nod. Without a word, I pulled an arrow from my quiver and notched it, pulling back on the string with all my strength to make the strong materials bend. As I pulled back, the words I'd said earlier came back to me: 'I am the blade that the bone of your Father was forged from...' It was like a new instinct was instilled in me!

Those words echoed in my heart and mind, the images of my target forming in and behind my eyes. Shapes danced beside my ears, whispering what was most vulnerable and how much torque was needed to pull back. Every shape was a voice and every voice was a dance. Every dance was death. This was what lead to my first arrow leaving me, having changed from a spiral-like blade into an arrow-shape lance, soaring across the battlefield with the world around it making way until a cone of air formed around it and a loud crescendo of fear left the enemy when the arrow struck their general.

I could feel every eye on the battlefield turn to me, turn to the hero who'd saved the Imperial Heir. Who'd saved his half-brother. My eyes wide and my mouth agape at the devastation I'd dealt, I looked to my charge and followed after he and his family, not a word spoken between any of us. What could a ten year old say to his centuries-old parents or his seventeen not-so-secret half-brother? Nothing was needed to be said between them, and I was happy to revel in the silence all of us shared as we returned to the capital of the Empire: Atalanta.

Reaching the capital via Orbiter, the guards blocked my entrance before the Imperial Heir told them to let me pass. Even though I knew I needed to be above them like the boy I was protecting, I couldn't resist flashing them a smile telling them to eat shit which they took umbrage to that with threats to my person getting me to catch up to the Royal Family quickly. "What's your name, Hero?" The Imperial Heir suddenly asked me, getting both his parents and myself to freeze with a start.

"Alexander!" The Empress reprimanded. "Don't fraternize with... _filth_ like that one!" Her glaring eyes of silver bore through my skull and into my soul, daring me to stand up for myself. However, I knew better than to know it was my soul she was glaring at. Those deific eyes of hers-the 'Bye-Ya-Cougars', or something-were glaring at the genes my father, the man not five feet away from me who ruled the Orokin Empire, had passed onto me during a single night made up of the rigorous defloration of my mother. I wasn't allowed, by law, to have friends or anything similar as the Emperor had made it a law that any illegitimate children of his lineage were at fault for souring his reputation as a great ruler. One of the benefits to that law, however, was that it taught me to keep an ear out for whatever information I could pick up on.

Such information was the fact that the Empress, a hypocrite of the highest order and a 'staunch' monogamist, hated her husband's promiscuity with a passion that could make a million suns feel like the frigid ice caps of the far North or far South. "Mother," The Imperial Heir defended, still blissfully ignorant to our connection. "He's done nothing wrong. He shouldn't be punished for having done nothing." His words made the Empress's eyes narrow furiously. All of Atalanta and the Orokin Empire knew the Empress to be unfamiliar with defiance on a good day and brutally intolerant of 'insubordination' on her lesser days.

The Emperor, tall and silent, was glaring at me now. I knew what it was that he wanted, and that was for me to leave the universe so that his name wouldn't be spoiled by a 'mistake of nature'. The Emperor's glare met my own glare, defying him to displease his sole succeeding son, and his face became the definition of _furious!_ Never in recorded history had a 'Bastard of the King' been favored by the Imperial Heir, nor had a 'Bastard of the King' been so bold as to defy the reason for what he was. Even back then, when I was far more foolish than I was later, I knew he couldn't _stand_ the fact that his one night stands didn't abort his offspring even though it'd become law that illegitimate children of the Emperor weren't to be aborted.

A hand on my forearm shook me from my daze, my eyes lowering to meet those of my charge. "What's your name, Hero?" The Imperial Heir asked me, getting me to stiffen once more nervously. I chuckled mirthlessly, looking at both of my charge's parents with a swift, silent glare, before I looked back to my charge.

"I've been called Soldier 76 for years, My Liege-to-be, that I've kind of-well- _forgotten_ what my mother named me..." I chuckled mirthlessly again, looking at the ruling monarch angrily as his wife tried her best to look the same way at me, but her efforts were fruitless as she ended up glaring at her husband. Looking back to my half-brother, I offered a simple smile. "Why don't you name me, My Young Lord?"

"What _impertinence!_ " The Emperor spat, coming up to grab me before I rose and turned to him, daring him to touch a 'mistake of nature' as his law put it. He faltered as I did this, the shock in his eyes more satisfying than the killing of my enemies, and I grinned my damned smirk. The ruling monarch blinked repeatedly, shocked beyond speech and oh-so satisfyingly silent.

Approaching him a mere inch, I could feel the Dax spearguns being directed at me as I smirked at him, damning him to the humiliation he'd never live down of his own accord. "Your graces," I began dramatically, backing up to spread my arms out so that all in the chamber we stood in knew I spoke to them. "You who've taken up the mantle of Gods and Demons, have forgotten a most essential emotion: Fear. As I serve the Imperial Heir, I shall reintroduce you to the terror that is below no other power; the terror of the thought of finding your name on a grave you dug yourself!" Returning my eyes to my charge, I saw a gleam in his eyes, a gleam I shared.

The beginning of a great brotherhood, not bound by the blood we'd been damned to carry, but bound by the blood we'd shed in shared masses...

 _ **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

That's a wrap ladies, gents an' other! So...Ya'll have questions, and I'll answer them as best I can without spoiling too much. Now, the first one: 'WHAT THE FUCK WAS ALL OF THAT?!' I'm dying inside at the shock somebody's feeling right now. Anyways, this is a small part of my ambitious plan to create one big universe of stories made up of different series. What ya'll read up there's a portion of the history of this world some of my stories will inhabit.

In my stories, I've made not-so-subtle nods to my other creations, but this one's where it's gonna be most obvious. So, the Orokin Empire's ancient in my story and is _before_ the Eon of Man, not after. Why? Because my original plan-the timeline where Erza says she's from the Zariman-was full of more plotholes than I was comfortable with. Now that's not to say that this timeline's not full of plotholes, but in this one I know how to fight them off for a bit. As I'm changing the endgame, expect some of those future-visions to become obsolete or something more than important in the long run.

'Why did you reference the Fate series?' Because, like I said, I like connecting different series to one another in my stories, also because I like imagining Natsu as a Proto-version of Archer EMIYA and bows are one of the easiest weapons to make/train in. If you make a bow, you can learn to better your aim better than you could better your performance with a sword or spear. Melee weapons require advanced martial arts to be mastered and dangerous, whereas a bow requires simple practice instead of years of rigorous training in said martial arts.

With that in mind, it wouldn't be too far a stretch to see Natsu-during his days as a soldier in the Orokin Empire's army-would use a bow instead of a melee weapon. He excels at melee-specifically hand-to-hand-in canon, but that's because he's trained and is relying on animal instincts he's developed over the years; in this, he's treated like scum and has basically become the military's punching bag or go-to cannon fodder. Because he's treated so poorly and is expected to just sit still, look 'ugly' and get killed, he's decided to arm himself with a piece of junk he made. It's shit, but it's better than nothing in ranged combat.

Similar to Naruto in canon, he's learned hand-to-hand on the streets, not in a gym, and thus can survive on that when in close quarters. Outside of there, he needs a ranged weapon that they'll permit him to have. He made shit, they won't touch it because it's so ugly. 'Why is he called Soldier 76?' Can't answer that without spoilers.

'Why did you reference Overwatch?' Because of my earlier statement of making a universe and to make lore for said universe. Ask me anything related to this story in your reviews and I'll answer them as soon as possible. With that outta the way, time for an **announcement** : I don't think I'll be able to prolong this story in one 'book' for too much longer and I'll probably cut it into a separate 'book' after this or the next chapter. Why? Because writing after thirty chapters is hard. It's not just the ante that's been subconsciously quintupled, it's the psychological recognition that 'holy shit, this story is super long and it feels drawn out' or 'this story is long and adding a new chapter drains me because it is _another_ chapter to an already long story'.

That's why lots of authors split their stories into separate 'books'. It's not (always) because we're cunts, it's not because we don't want the story to continue: it's because the story's length plays a factor in our mental processes. After forty chapters, I knew I was incapable of continuing my Naruto story, The Youki Chronicles, because I've given up too much time to other projects and the length it already has would sap me dry almost immediately because I'd remember how hard it was to write _another_ chapter to add onto its already fairly far-reaching number of chapters.

I love writing, I'm not going to stop doing so, but I need to cut certain corners to make this story keep going without its quality suffering too dramatically. Will I end this 'book' here? I doubt it, but it's not outside the realm of possibilities given how long it's gotten already. Will I rewrite the earlier chapters? Most likely not. I need that ego-killing cringe I get from rereading my earlier shit so that I know that I started off in a lesser place. Am I rambling? Yes I am, and I'll stop since it's mostly emotional baggage that actually isn't really important unless ya'll wanna hear petty bullshit about how I'm losing my taste for certain foods.

All that's outta the way and there's not much else to say, so (As Always: Thanks for being here, please R&R, no flamin' my ass, constructive criticism and See Ya-G'NIGHT!)


End file.
